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This book is intended to illustrate “The 
teaching of literature”, by the same author 
and publisher, price 50 cents, of which the 
following is a table of contents. 

Preface 7 

Introduction — The Teaching of Litera- 
ture 9 

Chapter I 

Some Definitions of Literature 13 

Chapter II 

Analyzing a Literary Masterpiece 

Preparatory to Teaching It 20 

Chapter III 

Teaching a Literary Masterpiece 43 
Chapter IV 

Outline for the Method of Teaching 
a Literary Masterpiece in Upper 

Grammar Grades 56 

Chapter V 

Memory Gems 81 

Chapter VI 

Sight Reading 84 

Chapter VII 

The Written Lesson Plan 88 

Chapter VIII 

General Conclusions 101 


EIGHTH GRADE 
POEMS 


BY 

ULYSSES F. AXTELL 

U 


Head of Department of English in the Cortland 
State Normal School 


j > 
) > ) 



SYRACUSE N. Y. 

C. W. BARDEEN PUB1.ISHEK 



Copyright 1919, by C. \V. Bardeen 




MAY -8 j y ( y 


©CI.A5<J53J)3 


To the Grammar School Children of 
Cortland State Normal School whose love 
of the humor, pathos, mystery, sublimity 
and music of juvenile literature has been 
one of the author’s chief inspirations. 


dll) 



























































































' 




















Acknowledgments 

Again the author takes great pleasure 
in acknowleding his indebtedness to 
Professor R. Elliot Owens of Cortland 
State Normal School for his many helpful 
suggestions and criticisms. 


( 113 ) 










































» ■ 























Contents 


Dedication - 113 

Acknowledgments 1 1 5 

Chapter I.... Introduction 

What the literature teacher should 
teach as shown by a study of the 
process of the psychological evolu- 
tion of a literary masterpiece 117 

Chapter II 

* 

The Skeleton in Armor — Interpreta- 
tion 1 28 

Chapter III 

The Skeleton in Armor. Lesson 
Plan 136 

Chapter IV 

Rhoecus 160 

Chapter V 

Lowell’s “Singing Leaves” 184 

Chapter VI 

Incident of the French Camp 199 

Chapter VII 

To a Skylark 213 


( 115 ) 


116 


CONTENTS 


Chapter VIII 

Horatius 235 

Chapter IX 

The Apostrophe to the Ocean 250 

Chapter X 

Lines from Under the Willows 259 

Chapter XI 

Lines on Washington 265 

Chapter XII 

A Concluding Consideration of Pen- 
etrative Insight 259 

Abou Ben Adhem 271 

Leigh Hunt 

Vussouf 272 

James Russell Lowell 

Opportunity 274 

Edward Rowland Sill 

The Destruction of Sennacherib 275 

Lord Byron 

Columbus 278 

Joaquin Miller 

Old Ironsides 280 

Oliver Wendell Holmes 


CHAPTER I 

What the literature teacher should teach 
as shown by a study of the process 
of the psychological evolution 
of a literary masterpiece 

The following chapter is intended to add 
clearness to the outline in the second 
chapter of Axtell’s “The Teaching of 
Literature”. The author finds that the 
extreme condensation and outline form 
of this chapter has made it somewhat 
difficult to understand. One thing must 
be kept clearly in mind — this chapter 

does not offer a method of teaching. 

» 

Another important caution is that al- 
though this chapter mentions language 
and principles of arrangement as proper 
elements to be taught; yet, let it be made 
emphatic that this does not mean rules 
of grammar or principles of rhetoric. We 

wish our children to enjoy the clearness 

( 117 ) 


118 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


of thought which good grammar gives, 
but we do not wish to teach the science of 
grammar in connection with the teaching 
of literature. We wish them to feel the 
force, precision and elegance given by 
conformity to the laws of rhetoric. But 
the science of rhetoric has no pjace in the 
curriculum below the sophomore or junior 
year in college. If those who do not go 
to college have learned how to absorb the 
inspiration of a literary masterpiece, it 
will not matter if they never know the 
figures of speech. Formal rhetoric is more 
of a hindrance than a help to grade child- 
ren in assimilating the inspiration of a 
literary masterpiece. It is far better that 
they should learn from experience how to 
uncover the suggested thought of a meta- 
phor without being distracted by naming 
the figure and testing its validity. Young 
students should grasp the central thought 
and dominant emotion of a poem with the 


INTRODUCTION 


119 


least delay possible. They should come to 
these central elements with their powers 
fresh and their appetites keen. Let us 
not, dissipate their powers on irrelevant 
matters. 

In Shelley’s poem, “To a Skylark”, for 
instance, there is some exceptionally fine 
rhetoric; but there is a thought and an 
impulse that will revolutionize the lives 
of many of our pupils. There is a great 
yearning for the joy of life. There is the 
thought that this joy comes only as a 
result of freedom from fear and hate and 
pride. But for human beings such freedom 
comes from a spiritual mastery over these 
impulses. Now we wish our children to 

m 

grasp this secret of happiness and to feel 
the lark’s joy of freedom. This is a great 
achievement. Its value cannot be measur- 
ed in dollars. Therefore we must take 
advantage of the high tide of interest of 
the pupils to teach these elements. We 


120 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


cannot afford to hazard a result of such 
great value by digressing to a study of 
rhetoric. 

When the teachers of arithmetic and 
geography are striving so diligently to 
eliminate all non-essentials and waste 
from their courses, it is bad taste for Eng- 
lish teachers to retain in the elementary 
or high school course, the study of rhetoric, 
which is really more of a hindrance than 
a help in getting the best results from 
teaching literature to pupils of those grades. 

What should we teach when we teach 

literature? 

What should we teach when we teach 
literature? The indefiniteness of the an- 
swer to this question in the minds of many 
teachers is the cause of much muddled 
and inefficient teaching. The general 
answer is that we should teach just what 
the author has put into his production. 
When we eat a piece of meat, we get from 


INTRODUCTION 


121 


it by the processes of digestion and assimi- 
lation just what nature put into the meat. 
In the course of these processes we may 
add something which combines with the 
elements of the meat to produce energy 
and tissue. But there must be some 
affinity between what we contribute and 
the elements of the meat or no desirable 
results are accomplished. Similarly in 
the processes of assimilating literature we 
are limited to the elements of the master- 
piece and such assimilating store of ex- 
perience as we may have. The teacher, 
if she would be of any use, must, therefore, 
know two things — first, the essential ele- 
ments of the literature; second, the pre- 
vious experiences of the children that will 
unite with these elements in such a way 
as to assimilate them into new mental 
and spiritual energy and tissue. 

What, then, are the elements that an 
author puts into his production? To 


122 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


answer this let us follow the psychological 
processes of the evolution of a literary 
masterpiece. The origin of all literature 
is experience. This experience may con- 
sist partly of reading, as must have been the 
case with Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar 
and many other plays. And yet we recog- 
nize in these dramas manv fundamental 
traits of human character which he must 
have learned from first-hand observation. 
Many of our best productions have come 
entirely from the author’s immediate 
relations in life. Actual experience , facts 
of life , therefore, constitute the first ele- 
ment of literature. 

The reason back of the author's im- 
pulse to write about these experiences is 
that he believes he has discovered in them 
a new and more inspiring meaning, a 
greater value, than people have commonly 
found in them. Inspiring thought therefore 
is the second element of literature. We 


INTRODUCTION 


123 


should carefully distinguish the topical 
outline of the abstract thought from the 
topical outline of the story or plot. 

Usually the reason for this discovery 
on the part of the author is that he has 
had a point of view regarding these ex- 
periences different from the viewpoint of 
others. This he must embody in his pro- 
duction and make it so evident to others 
that they will be drawn into it. The 
mental power that enables the author 
to discover this new aspect of his ex- 
perience we may call the penetrative im- 
agination. Other names which might be 
helpful are the interpretative imagination 
or the discovering imaginatio?i or the sym- 
pathetic imagination. The product of the 
sympathetic insight is the third element 
of literature. It must be true, convincing, 
and new. 

The author now has the great task of 
reconstructing this experience or section 


124 


•EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


of life in such a way that his new point of 
view and new thought will be evident in 
all its inspiring power. The evidence of 
his artistic genius is to be found in his 
successful ordering and arranging of his 
materials so that the reader is forced to 
feel the value of the new thought and 
the new point of view. Many of us who 
have good observing power and good pene- 
trative and sympathetic insight lack con- 
structive ability. Constructive imagina- 
tion , therefore, the ability to fashion a 
new image from old experiences is a more 
advanced process and produces the fourth 
element of literature. This process is 
really compound, consisting of a selective 
functioning of the imagination and a com- 
bining or associative functioning in the 
evolution of a literary masterpiece. 

The character of the inspiration as 
determined by its depth, strength, and 
sincerity and by its physical, intellect- 


INTRODUCTION 


125 


ual or spiritual suggestiveness has such 
force in determining the power of the 
masterpiece that it should be separately 
ranked and therefore, we say the fifth 
element of literature is Inspirational power . 
In fact many writers divide it into two 
elements — the aesthetic and the emotional. 
It is this inspirational element which dis- 
tinguishes fine art from all other forms of 
original construction. The successful 
manufacturer, carpenter, statesman or 
railroad builder must exercise the same 
mental processes as the poet with the 
exception of this aesthetic emotion. The 
teacher of the fine arts, therefore, is 
training, perhaps better than any other 
pedagogue, those powers that achieve 
the larger successes even in material af- 
fairs. But fine art adds the appeal to the 
soul. And it selects only those appeals 
which give the soul a sense of wholesome- 
ness, of renewed vigor, of health, which 








126 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


is the essence of an aesthetic experience. 

The author must now choose such lan- 
guage as will express these thoughts, images 
and emotions. Suitable language then, 
constitutes the sixth element of literature. 

And finally certain underlying principles 
of relationship and arrangement must 
govern all the previous elements. All 
must be united in the aim of making the 
central, dominant, inspiring thought im- 
pressive. Perhaps this unity is implied 
in the other elements mentioned, but it is 
so essential that we deem it well worth 
while to mention as the seventh element of 
literature, Climactic unity. 

These, then, are the essential elements 
of a literary masterpiece: 

I. Life experience 

II. Inspiring thought 

III. Penetrative insight 

IV. Constructive imagination 

V. Inspirational power 


INTRODUCTION 


127 


VI. Expressive language 
VII. Climactic unity 
These we should teach when we teach 
literature. It is very important that the 
teacher should see clearly which of these 
seven elements is taught in each of the 
four formal steps of her method. Most 
of the elements will be taught in more 
than one of the steps of the method. And 
during the process of each of the four 
formal steps the teacher will teach several 
of these elements. 


CHAPTER II 
“The skeleton in armor” 

The Teacher’s Preparation for teaching 

The Skeleton in Armor.” 

1 Facts and experiences out of which 

the story was constructed. 

a Country of Northmen. 

b Kind of life they led and their 
leading virtues and vices. Several 
editions of the Nine Choice Poems 
contain adequate presentation of these 
facts. 

c The old tower and the skeleton. 

2 Thought Element. 

a Central thought. 

It seems to have been Longfellow’s 
chief thought that in the primitive, 
semi-civilized condition of these people 
they showed the elemental virtues which 
made them builders of nations and the 

progressive leaders of civilization. 

( 128 ) 


THE SKELETON IN ARMOR 


129 


( < 


J » 


b Detailed study of the thought. 

The dauntless courage and roving, 
adventurous disposition of the North- 
men caused them to spread and conquer 
foreign lands. 

Their stout, democratic indepen- 
dence moved them to defy authority 
and control and sometimes to seek 
greater liberty in homes beyond the sea. 

Their steadfast affection was as 
strong as their love of adventure and 
exercised a refining influence over them. 

Their vices were limited to excesses 
of the conquering spirit, of an exuber- 
ant energy, and of the spirit of inde- 
pendence. They, therefore, took the 
form of cruelty to enemies and foreign- 
ers, riotous carousals, and lawless de- 
fiance of government. Their vices 
were simply the excessive manifesta- 
tion of the same impulses which, when 
under proper restraint, constituted their 


130 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


virtues. Both their virtues and vices 
were of a positive nature and not of 
the negative character which tends to 
degeneracy. 

The characters, pictures, plot and lan- 
guage of the poem warrant drawing 
such inferences. 

3 Penetrative Imagination. 

After the author had acquired his 
knowledge of the facts and had drawn 
his general inferences he must have 
found amusement in transporting him- 
self to the homes and adventurous ex- 
peditions of these medieval ancestors. 
In his imagination he abandoned him- 
self to the primitive ambitions and 
impulses of the Northmen. 

4 Inspirational and Emotional Element. 

In the course of these reveries the 
author discovered the tonic of these 
vigorous impulses. He felt the powers 
that have moved this race of men and 
women from barbarism to imperial 


THE SKELETON IN ARMOR 


131 


4 4 


) y 


culture. His patriotic ardor surged 
high as he realized that he had dis- 
covered in their primitive simplicity 
those forces of character that had 
founded and given stability and enter- 
prise to his own native land, and which 
were still undegenerate in his own 
breast. 

5 Constructive Imagination. 

a Under the spell of these thoughts 
and feelings he instinctively sought for 
such characters, events, and scenes as 
would reveal to his patriotic country- 
men the splendid virtues of which they 
were the natural heirs, of which they 
might be justly proud, and which they 
should jealously foster. 

b Secondly, he proceeded to con- 
struct these events, etc. into a narrative 
that should make the reader thrill with 
admiration for these virtues. And so 
it resulted that we have the story of 


132 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


the Viking’s boyhood and youthful ad- 
ventures, his simple superstitions, his 
democratic assumption that he might 
aspire to love a princess, his resentment 
at the ridicule by the king and his lords, 
his daring elopement, his fearless flight, 
and his steadfast love for his bride and 
loyalty to his race. The naked skele- 
ton is at once suggestive of the rude, 
commanding nature of the thought and 
emotion. 

6 Language. 

Naturally the words and meter are 
of the simple, rugged character de- 
manded by the substance. As we 
might expect, strength of style predom- 
inates. Such words as, “fearful”, 
“rude”, “haunt”, “daunt”, “pale 
flashes”, “take heed”, “dead man’s 
curse”, “wild Baltic’s strand”, express 
the indomitable spirit of the poem. 

Such concrete phrases and words as> 


THE SKELETON IN ARMOR 


133 


< < 


» » 


“fleshless palms”, “hollow breast”, 
“cavernous eyes”, “gleam in Decem- 
ber”, “waving his armed hand”, etc., 
correspond with the strength of other 
passages. 

Not many suggestive passages are 
found, as these are more appropriate 
to a more subtle, complex and refined 
substance. Such as there are will be 
found in connection with the love story, 
as, for instance, “soft eyes”, “burning 
yet tender”, “dark heart”, “soft splen- 
dor”, “yielding yet half afraid”. 

The pathos is expressed in the same 
intense, yet simple language as the 
determination and daring, “Still grew 
my bosom then”, “in the vast forest 
here”. In these passages suggestive- 
ness helps to express the pathos. 

Stanza VIII has a bit of melody but 
most of the vowel and consonant sounds 
are appropriately rather harsh. 


134 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


7 Principles of relationship. 

a The unity of the poem is strong 
throughout. Substance and form 
blend to emphasize the central theme 
and dominant emotions. 

b The element of contrast is found 
in the rude virtues of the Viking when 
dealing with men and his gentleness 
when speaking of the Princess. The 
effect of this contrast is to make each 
characteristic more beautiful. Such 
contrasts in style as are illustrated in 
the following passages emphasize the 
important underlying thought that it 
was the interplay of the Northman’s 
ruthless, violent savagery on the one 
hand and his gentle, loyal affection 
on the other that developed the race 
into the chivalrous English knight ; 
later into the stern but hospitable Puri- 
tan; and still later into the restless, 
relentless but cultured and humanitarian 


THE SKELETON IN ARMOR 


135 


i l 


t } 


builder of empires, commerce, and edu- 
cational and charitable institutions. 
Such contrasted passages are illustrated 
in the following: “burning yet tender”; 
“dark heart”, and “soft splendor”; 
“white stars shine”, and “dark Norway 
pine”; the abrupt, swift movement of 
the words in the last part of stanza VI 
and the softer, gentler, slower and more 
melodious movement of the words in 
the first part of stanza IX. 

c The poem moves rapidly to a 
simple climax which expresses all of 
the underlying elements of the poem. 
In the Viking’s last words we feel his 
gentle love of the Princess, his deep 
love of country, his masterful courage 
and his indomitable will. 


CHAPTER III 

“The skeleton in armor ” 

Plan for Teaching “The Skeleton in 
Armor.” 

Preparation 
I Aims 

1 To give the class the point of 
view for properly interpreting the story. 
To do this it will be necessary to get 
the children to do some original think- 
ing on the main problem ( dominamt 
thought) of the poem. 

2 We must also create the romantic 
atmosphere ( ; penetrative insight) of the 
period of the Northmen. 

3 We must suggest how the story 
illustrates or is a reconstruction of a 
part of the life of the period when 
America was first visited ( the perspec- 
tive view of the story.) 

( 136 ) 


( ( 


THE SKELETON IN ARMOR 


137 


i > 


II Method 

1 “Nine hundred years ago in North- 
ern Europe. No railroads, telegraphs, 
automobiles, newspapers, postoffices, 
steamships, books, public schools,- man- 
ufacturing. Clothing, food, furniture, 
tools mostly made at home. Can you 
imagine how it would seem to live at 
that time and what kind of people lived 
then? ( Penetrative imagination.) ( Also 
the fact element) Aim 2. 

2 What do you suppose it was in 
the character of the people that lived 
in Denmark and Norway and Sweden 
and in the way they lived that caused 
these people to come across the great 
ocean in their small sailing boats and 
discover America? ( Main thought.) 

It must have been a dangerous and 
dreary trip in such boats as they had. 
They certainly must have been very 
active and very brave. Do you know 


138 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


whether these people were related to 
those who came later and settled Amer- 
ica? Does it not seem to you that 
those who left their comfortable 
homes and their friends in those early 
days and settled in this far off country 
among savages and wild beasts must 
have been the bravest and most ambi- 
tious people in their countries? Would 
it not seem that even those who come 
to America today must be among the 
more energetic and ambitious of their 
class? ( The minor thought) Aim 1. 

3 When the English settled in New 
England they heard from the Indians 
the legends about palefaces who had 
been in this country several centuries 
before, and from the legends of the 
early Danes we learn that their ances- 
tors discovered the Land of the Redman. 

It is known that these Danes or 
Northmen were a roving, seafaring 


THE SKELETON IN ARMOR 


139 


( i 




people. The families were usually large 
and one boy was selected to remain at 
home and inherit the property. The 
other boys considered themselves more 
fortunate than he since they were at 
liberty to roam the seas and plunder the 
other nations of Europe. This they did 
during the summer, and in winter they 
hunted and fished and lived a rough, 
boisterous life in the crude halls of 
their leader. 

Finally tribes of Northmen invaded 
northern France and northeastern Eng- 
land and made settlements. In the 
year 1066 the Normans from northern 
France conquered England. So it was 
this same race of people who, with the 
old Saxons of England, later settled 
Virginia and New England. {Fact.) 
They were a fearless, warlike, conquer- 
ing race. 

4 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 


140 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


has written a poem which shows us how 
these early Northmen lived and what 
kind of people they were. He was a 
poet of New England and a descendant 
of the Normans and Saxons of England. 
He was proud of these strong old con- 
quering acnestors and his poem makes 

• 

us feel their heroic, independent spirit. 
( Inspirational element and imaginative 
perspective.) 

There was an old tower in Newport, 
R. I., which the Danes thought was 
like the forts of the old Northmen, and 
which they believed some of their 
ancient people had built. In Long- 
fellow’s time a skeleton was dug up at 
Fall River. It had been buried clad 
in rude armor and wrapped in coarse 
cloth and was in a sitting posture. 

In the story, Longfellow associated 
the skeleton and the tower and caused 
the skeleton to tell the story of why he 


141 


“the skeleton in armor” 

came to America and built the tower. 
If you notice the language of the Nor- 
man, you will see what a determined, 
fearless man he was and yet how af- 
fectionate.” ( Thought , language , per- 
spective.) 

Presentation 

I Aims 

1 To enable the children to get the 
general impression from the substance 
and form, especially the impression of 
the intense, determined character of 
the Viking and his strong affection. 

II Method 

1 Teacher read the poem. She 
should be mindful of the spirit and 
thought of the poem. 

2 Let pupils make a list of the 
words to be looked up in the dictionary. 
This should not be done until after 
the poem has been read through for 
its general impressions. 


142 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Association 

I Aims 

To intensify appreciation of all the 
literary elements. 

To make the details of the language, 
thought and plot clearly understood. 

II Method 

1 Find which child has the longest 
list of words. Have him give the first 
word on his list. If some one can give 
a satisfactory definition and pronun- 
ciation let the pupil giving the word 
write down this definition and indicate 
the pronunciation. If these are not 
satisfactorily given put this word on 
the board as the first of a revised list. 
Go through the longest list in this way. 
Then get any additional words that 
other pupils may have and treat them 
in the same way. 

When the revised list is thus com- 
pleted, have the children look up in 


THE SKELETON IN ARMOR 


143 


4 4 




their dictionaries the words on this list. 
Allow about 40 seconds to a word. 

2 Work out with the children a 
topical outline of the poem. This 
can be done something as follows: 


“How many stanzas 
are devoted to the in- 
troduction and descrip- 
tion of the skeleton ? 

What does stanza 
III tell us? 

Of what part of the 
Viking’s life are we 
told in stanzas IV and 
V? 

What is the next 
topic? How many 
stanzas tell about this ? 

The next topic?” 

By similar question- 
ing we would work out 
the remaining topics. 


3 Interpretation. 

“Give in your own 
words your picture of 
this skeleton as it ap- 
peared to the poet. 


A Introduction and 
description of skeleton. 
Stanzas I and II. 

B Command to the 
poet and who skeleton 
was. 

C Viking’s child- 
hood. 


D Viking’s youth. 
Stanzas VI-VII. 

E Viking’s wooing 
and request for girl. 

F Elopement and 
chase. 

G Escape and wan- 
dering. 

H Life in America. 

In answer to this 
the children will pro- 
bably use some of the 
author’s descriptive 
words. They will thus 
absorb the vocabulary. 


144 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


How did the appear- 
ance of the skeleton 
make the author feel ? 

What in stanza I 
shows that he was 
afraid ? 

What in the descrip- 
tion of the skeleton 
shows that he w'as a 
fearful object to meet. 

Why would his ‘hol- 
low breast’ make us 
shudder ? 

What would indicate 
to you that the Viking, 
when alive, must have 
been a very strong and 
determined man. 

What did the ‘pale 
flashes’ indicate as 
to the Viking’s feel- 
ings ? 

How many ever 
heard the water flow 
under the snow or un- 
der the rocks ? 

Can you imagine a 
voice sounding like 
that ? 

•What was the Vik- 
ing excited about ? 

Why was it worth 
telling ? 


Afraid (minor emo- 
tion) . 

The exclamation and 
the word “fearful.” 

“Hollow breast”, 
“fleshless palms 
stretched”. 

Because it was 
strange to see a skele- 
ton move. 

The fact that his 
skeleton could rise up 
to command the poet 
to tell his story. 

That he was much 
excited. 


(Here we are teach- 
ing pupils to interpret 
concrete and suggestive 
style.) 


He wanted the story 
of his daring life told. 

Because it was a 
story common to a 
brave and loyal race. 


THE SKELETON 


IN ARMOR 


145 


< l 


> > 


What was there in 
his life that was ad- 
mirable ? 


Is there anything in 
this story to show why 
these people * were 
brave and determined ? 


What is meant by 
saying that her eyes 
were ‘burning’? 

Do you see any dif- 
ference between the 
way the Viking tells 
the story of his sports 
and the way he tells of 
his wooing? 

What is meant by 
saying that the cham- 
pion laughed ? 

Describe in your 
own words the scene 
in the hall of the prince 
as the Viking asked 
for the girl. 

Why did the prince 
refuse ? 

Was the Viking tak- 
ing very great risk in 
eloping with the maid- 
en ? 


That from his boy- 
hood he mastered 
everything. Children 
suggest several things. 

(Here w r e are teach- 
ing the inspirational 
element.) 

Yes, the description 
of the country in which 
they lived. They had 
to be brave to go out 
on the “wild Baltic’’. 
They had to face dan- 
ger to get their living. 
( Thought ) 

It means that she 
had spirit and courage. 
(S uggestiveness . ) 

Yes, his language is 
rougher and more 
forceful wdien speaking 
of his adventures. 
(Contrast.) 

The champion v r as 
probably a rival of the 
Viking. 


The Viking w r as of 
low rank. 

Yes, the danger of 
death if caught and of 
shipwreck if he escaped 














146 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Do you think the 
girl was especially 
brave ? 

How do you suppose 
these two felt during 
the three weeks of 
sailing westward ? 

What is the meaning 
of ‘still grew my bo- 
som then’ ? 

Find in stanza XIX 
a line which pictures 
the loneliness of the 
new country. 

Is there anv evidence 

a/ 

that they repented of 
what they had done ? 

Would you think 
any less of the two if 
they had concluded, 
after the prince refused, 
that the wisest thing 
for them to do was to 
give up and not try 
to be married ? 

Do you not think it 
was rather absurd for 
the Viking to shout 
‘Skoal! to the North- 
land,’ after his people 
had, driven him and 
his bride out ? ” 


He lost his ambition 
and interest in life. 
(Suggestive .) 

“In the vast forest 
here.” ( Suggestive .) 


No, he thought that 
all other people were 
weak and cowardly 
compared to his own 
people. While he had 
quarreled with them, 
yet he thought they 
were the noblest and 
bravest people on 
earth. 


THE SKELETON IN ARMOR 


147 


< « 


> j 


Generalization 

I Aims 

To fix the general and particular 
impressions. 

To develop powers of expression. 

II Method 

1 Drill briefly on pronunciation and 
meaning of difficult words if any have 
been found. 

2 Have one or two oral reproduc- 
tions of the story from the topical out- 
line. 

3 Have pupils read the poem orally. 
Give attention to expression, voice, 
fluency, enunciation and position. In- 
duce children to judge reading by en- 
joyment they get from listening. 

A Final Word of Advice and Caution 

Do not fail to distinguish between the 
use and the abuse of methods and written 
plans. The proper way to use a method 


148 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


is to master its philosophy and details of 
procedure and then revise it, abbreviate it, 
rearrange it, supplement it, combine it 
with other methods and let it be clear and 
emphatic to yourself and to all others that 
you are the master architect. So long as 
you are the master you can be open mind- 
ed, fearless and progressive. 

A plan should be thought out with vig- 
orous logic, written, revised and thrown 
away. Your actual work in the class room 
should be determined by several factors 
among which are your favorite method and 
your written plan. But other factors 
quite as essential are the mental and spirit- 
ual condition of the class and yourself at 
the moment. A teacher who is delicately 

sensitive to this and is charged with the 
spirit of her subject will employ a method 

which has the subtlety and mystery of 
genius and which no one can outline, which 
no one can imitate and which she herself 


THE SKELETON IN ARMOR 


149 


< c 




can never repeat. This is the method. 
In other words, do not forget that person- 
ality is a mighty factor in teaching and 
that the prime factor of personality is 
sympathy. A countenance radiant with 
sympathy makes the greatest impression 
on pupils. In literature especially it must 
be a sympathy that is deep and compre- 
hensive, sincere and fervent; a sympathy 
which * comprehends the author and his 
inspiration, the child and his ideals. 
All that this book aims to do is to 
suggest a helpful procedure for preparing 
to develop in the class room that enthusi- 
asm and spontaneity which will produce 
the method for you and the class at some 
particular hour, and which may never 
again be suited to any class room situation. 
Your next recitation will have a different 
method determined by a different combi- 
nation of factors. Such teaching has 
power, and, in literature especially, no one 


150 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


can measure its results in the regeneration 
of character, in visions revealed, in resolves 
that are energized and in destinies deter- 
mined. 

In its final analysis the teaching of liter- 
ature, like the making of it, is a fine art 
based on a soul stirring inspiration. As 
a child wishes every one to join him in his 
love of toys and his ambitions about pet 
projects: as a mother longs for a confiden- 
tial friend to understand her appreciation 
of her child; as God yearns for someone to 
share his aspirations for man and the uni- 
vers; so the poet craves companionship in 
his vision ; and so the true teacher of liter- 
ature, hungry for fellowship in his enjoy- 
ment of life’s great uplifting goodness, is 
compelled by the same spirit that moves 
God to create a sublime and harmonious 
universe, and moves the poet to reveal its 
charm and beauty. Such an impulse, the 
most elemental craving of all life, will in 


SKELETON IN ARMOR 


151 


its maturity burst all the chains of artifi- 
cial and routine method. A teacher’s art 
must be as infinitely varied and as mys- 
teriously subtle as the characters of chil- 
dren and the temperaments and geniuses 
of poets. It must have the sensitiveness, 
versatility, initiative and resourcefulness 
of prophetic insight and inspiration. 

Skeleton in armor 

I 

“Speak! speak! thou fearful guest! 
Who, with thy hollow breast 
Still in rude armor drest, 

Comest to daunt me! 

Wrapt not in Eastern balms, 

But with thy fleshless palms 
Stretched, as if asking alms, 

Why dost thou haunt me?” 

II 

Then, from those cavernous eyes, 

Pale flashes seemed to rise, 

As when the northern skies 
Gleam in December ; 


152 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


And, like the water’s flow 
Under December’s snow, 

Came a dull voice of woe 
From the heart’s chamber. 

III 

“I was a Viking old! 

My deeds, though manifold, 
No Skald in song has told, 

No Saga taught thee! 

Take heed, that in thy verse 
Thou dost the tale rehearse, 

Else a dead man’s curse; 

For this I sought thee. 

IV 

“Far in the Northern Land, 

By the wild Baltic’s strand, 

I, with my childish hand, 
Tamed the gerfalcon; 

And, with my skates fast bound 
Skimmed the half-frozen Sound, 
That the poor whimpering hound 
Trembled to walk on. 









SKELETON IN ARMOR 


153 


V 


“Oft to his frozen lair 
Tracked I the grisly bear, 
While from my path the hare 
Fled like a shadow; 

Oft through the forest dark 
Followed the werewolf’s bark, 
Until the soaring lark 
Sang from the meadow. 


“But when I older grew, 
Joining a corsair’s crew, 
O’er the dark sea I few 
With the marauders. 
Wild was the life we led; 


Many the hearts that bled, 
By our stern orders. 


“Many a wassail-bout 
Wore the long Winter out; 
Often our midnight shout 
Set the cocks crowing. 


VI 


Many the souls that sped, 


VII 



154 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


As we the Berserk’s tale 
Measured in cups of ale, 
Draining the oaken pail, 

Filled to o’erflowing. 

VIII 

“Once as I told in glee 
Tales of the stormy sea, 

Soft eyes did gaze on me, 
Burning, yet tender; 

And as the white stars shine, 
On the dark Norway pine, 
On that dark heart of mine 
Fell their soft splendor. 

IX 

‘I wooed the blue-eyed maid, 
Yielding, yet half afraid, 

And in the forest’s shade 
Our vows were plighted. 
Under its loosened vest 
Fluttered her little breast, 
Like birds within their nest 
By the hawk frighted. 


SKELETON IN ARMOR 


155 


X 

“Bright in her father’s hall 
Shields gleamed upon the wall, 
Loud sang the minstrels all, 
Chanting his glory; 

When of old Hildebrand 
I asked his daughter’s hand, 

Mute did the minstrel stand 
To hear my story. 

XI 

“While the brown ale he quaffed, 

Loud then the champion laughed, 
And as the wind gusts waft 
The sea foam brightly, 

So the loud laugh of scorn, 

Out of those lips unshorn, 

From the deep drinking horn 
Blew the foam lightly. 

XII 

“She was a Prince’s child, 

I but a Viking wild, 

And though she blushed and smiled, 
I was discarded! 


156 EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 

Should not the dove so white 
Follow the sea mew’s flight, 

Why did they leave that night 
Her nest unguarded? 

XIII 

“Scarce had I put to sea, 

Bearing the maid with me. 
Fairest of all was she 
Among the Norsemen! 

When on the white sea strand, 
Waving his armed hand, 

Saw w r e old . Hildebrand, 

With twenty horsemen. 

XIV 

“Then launched they to the blast, 
Bent like a reed each mast, 

Yet we were gaining fast, 

When the wind failed us; 

And with a sudden flaw 
Came round the gusty Skaw, 

So that our foe we saw 
Laughed as he hailed us. 


SKELETON IN ARMOR 


157 


XV 

“And as to catch the gale 
Round veered the flapping sail, 
‘Death!’ was the helmsman’s hail, 
‘Death without quarter!’ 

Midships with iron keel 
Struck we her rib of steel; 

Down her black hulk did reel 
Through the black water! 

XV 

“As with his wings aslant 
Sails the fierce cormorant, 

Seeking some rocky haunt, 

With his prey laden, — 

So toward the open main, 

Beating to sea again, 

Through the wild hurricane, 

Bore I the maiden. 

XVII 

“Three weeks we westward bore, 

And when the storm was o’er, 
Cloudlike we saw the shore 
Stretching to leeward ; 


158 EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 

There for my lady’s bower 
Built I the lofty tower, 

Which to this very hour 
Stands looking seaward. 

XVIII 

“There lived we many years; 
Time dried the maiden’s tears; 
She had forgot her fears, 

She was a mother; 

Death closed her mild blue eyes, 
Under that tower she lies; 

Ne’ er shall the sun arise 
On such another! 

XIX 

“Still grew my bosom then 
Still as a stagnant fen! 

Hateful to me were men, 

The sunlight hateful! 

In the vast forest here, 

Clad in my warlike gear, 

Fell I upon my spear, 

Oh, death was grateful! 


SKELETON IN ARMOR 


159 


XX 

'‘Thus, seamed with many scars 
Bursting these prison bars, 

Up to its native stars 
My soul ascended! 

There from the flowing bowl 
Deep drinks the warrior’s soul, 
Skoal! to the Northland! Skoal!" 
Thus the tale ended. 


CHAPTER IV 

Rhoecus 

Teachers Preparation 

In the poem Rhoecus the author wishes 
to call our serious attention to the inspir- 
ing, ennobling elements of Greek philosophy 
and life. The modern man is entitled to 
profit by all that was valuable in former 
stages of civilization. The human race 
is obligated to make use of its heritage 
from the past. Lowell means to tell us 
that it is the shallowest folly for us to take 
a flippant and supercilious attitude toward 
those theories and faiths which have in- 
spired great races or generations of human 
beings. Under the influence of pantheism, 
the Greeks lived a wonderfully vivid, alert, 
real spiritual existence. Modern creeds 
are not inconsistent with this theory of the 

universal presence of Divinity and our 

( 160 ) 


RHOECUS 


161 



lives may be greatly reanimated and rec- 
tified by a lively appreciation of this 
presence. The powerful penetration and 
picturesqueness of the Greek imagination 
has done an incalculable service for the 
people of all creeds and ages. Lowell’s 
central theme is, therefore, that a deep 
reverence for nature and for the spirit that 
everywhere animates, designs and con- 
trols it is the first essential for wisdom and 
knowledge and progress either scientific, 
mechanical or spiritual. While it is a 
great and profound thought yet it is so 
simple that the most primitive races have 
felt its power. Children have a lively 
sympathy for such a conception of the 
out-of-door world. This sympathy it is 
our privilege to foster, refine, and mature 
by properly teaching poetry, nature study, 
the bible, science, history and mathematics. 

Lowell was particularly fond of this 
thought. In fact, it seems to be the hub 







162 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


of all his philosophy. In varied forms of 
expression it appears in several of his 
poems. We have essentially the same 
thought suggested in the Singing Leaves 
when, “deep in the greenwood’ ’ the pride 
swollen king becomes humble and reverent 
as there comes over him slowly the dim 
impression that he is in the mysterious 
presence of a being far mightier than he. 
“Under the Willows” suggests the thought 
of the universal presence of the Creator 
and the necessity for reverence if we would 

“ever find 

The inward rhyme to all this wealth of 
life.” 

In “Sir Launfal” and “Yussouf” he 
expresses the kindred thought that God 
given opportunity for heroism is omni- 
present and may be recognized by a rev- 
erent sympathy with the environment in 
which the Almighty has placed us. James 


RHOECUS 


163 


Russell Lowell was one of the best examples 
of a cultured American. With him culture 
consisted in the ability to analyze and 
solve modern problems by making use of 
a wide and thorough knowledge of the 
past experiences of the race. Culture 
in his opinion was simply an adequate 
preparation for efficient and eminent ser- 
vice. The prime qualification for becoming 
cultured was to have a humble and reverent 
spirit toward God, nature and man. 

In the following poem, the author has 
given us a very sympathetic and truthful 
representation of the Greek conception of 
this philosophy. Rhoecus is a typical 
Greek character with a lively imagina- 
tion, a lover of games and somewhat fickle 
in his attachments. The language and 
imagery of the poem express well the happy, 
sunny character o,f Greece and the Greeks. 
The plot sets forth the thought in a clear, 
convincing, concrete way. To both Lowell 


164 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


and the Greeks trees seemed to be the 
noblest and most beautiful embodiment 
of the divine spirit to be found in nature. 
Byron found the presence of the Creator 
most appreciable in the ocean; Shelley, in 
the mountains and in the open sky with 
its clouds, winds, sunshine and birds; 
Coleridge, in the mountains with their 
waterfalls and glaciers and in the mystery 
of the ocean; Wordsworth and Burns, in 
the flowers and fields. 

But to Lowell and the Greeks the dim, 
deep-wood shadows took the form of grace- 
ful divinities; the soft music of the leaves 
and branches was the voice of gentle spirits; 
the soothing effect of it all was the true 
manifestation of the lovipg soul that gave 
rest and healing to all who yielded to its 
magic influence. No one need misunder- 
stand the heart of God as expressed in the 
simple, affectionate life of the trees. To 
commune with the Great Spirit here noth- 


RHOECUS 


165 


in g was required but sincerity, loyalty and 
steadfastness. But this requirement was 
as inexorable as fate. “Blessed are the 
pure in heart: for they shal 1 see God.” 
This was the theme of Lowell’s philosophy 
of man’s relation to nature, as it was the 
Greeks’ also. 

Method 

Again we meet a serious problem in the 
question, how shall we approach this 
thought with children? Perhaps the 
necessity for sincerity has been most evi- 
dent to children in their relation to animals. 
We might approach the thought in some 
such way as follows: 

How many have observed that dogs and 
other animals like some people better than 
others ? 

Do you know any reason for this? 

Might it be because some people try to 
find out what the dog likes and needs and 
give it to him ? 




166 EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 

Horses like some drivers and will obey 
them cheerfully. Perhaps this is beacuse 
these drivers understand the dispositions 
of the horses and try to make them happy. 

Is it not true that people like us better 
when we try to know them thoroughly and 
then treat their peculiarities and tastes 
with respect ? 

This seems to be true in a wav in our 
relation to plants. They grow better for 
people who try to find out just what they 
need and then cultivate them in such a 
way as to supply these needs. 

Trees grow more beautiful, make better 
lumber, bear better fruit, and give more 
perfect shade if we respect their needs and 
peculiarities and treat them sympatheti- 
cally. Notice how the tree doctor can 
prolong the life of a great elm because he 
takes time to study its character and needs 
and then carefully treats it to suit its char- 
acter. 






RHOECUS 


167 


It sometimes happens that we think 
certain people should live in a particular 
way, that certain animals and plants should 
act in particular ways. But if we study 
the kind of people and animals and plants 
they are we will frequently learn that their 
way of doing it is far better for them than 
any way that we could devise. After such 
study we appreciate and enjoy them and 
know how to work with them or use them 
to much greater advantage to ourselves 
and to them. 

So long as we thought only of the value 
of the wood and lumber in trees, we had 
no science of forestry. So long as we 
thought only of the market value of wild 
game and of the products of the fields, we 
had no science of nature study. So long 
as we thought only of the work we could 
get out of children we had no science of 
child study and teaching. So long as we 
thought only of the least troublesome 


168 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


method of getting criminals out of the way 
we had no science of criminology. 

But when we began to study the lives 
and characters of these people and things 
we began to develop science, to know how 
to help and use these creatues and to make 
them and ourselves better and happier. 
In this way we have learned that some 
dogs are good fighters but not safe pets, 
some horses make excellent dray animals 
but never could be trotters. We are be- 
ginning to learn that some boys can be- 
come expert carpenters but could never 
become lawyers and that some men be- 
come criminals because no one ever helped 
them to discover that they might be ex- 
cellent citizens in their own peculiar way. 

It is this thought, that we must learn 
to respect people and things for what they 
are, to be sympathetic, sincere and un- 
selfishly interested in them if we wish to 
enjoy them, this is the thought which 


RHOECUS 


169 


James Russell Lowell put into his poem 
“Rhoecus”. Rhoecus was a generous 
hearted, imaginative Greek youth. But 
he lost his greatest opportunity for happi- 
ness because he broke his promise to a 
beautiful creature of the forest. The 
Greeks enjoyed nature and the out-of- 
doors more than any other people of ancient 
times. This story is a legend of a Greek 
who lost this great happiness because he 
did not try to understand the life out-of- 
doors. The story helps us to understand, 
however, the chief secret of the great happi- 
ness of the Greeks. They loved the trees 
and hills and plants and streams because 
they believed that good and beautiful 
creatures inhabited them. Everywhere in 
the out-of-doors they believed they were 
in the presence of these divine beings. 
It was a great sin to be negligent or to be 
irreverent toward them. It was the great- 
est happiness to catch among the trees or 


170 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


along the streams a whispered message 
from them; hear them rush by with the 
wind while at their sports; to watch them 
play behind the fleecy clouds; to catch a 
glimpse of them in the shadow of the forest 
or the sparkle of the streams. But it was 
fatal to offend one of the least of these 
divine creatures. We shall see now how 
Rhoecus had a taste of this great happiness 
and then carelessly lost it. 

The teacher will here read the poem, 
beginning with the story, and proceed 
with the method to the third step under 

Note — Some of this will doubtless seem 
too difficult for eighth grade pupils. If 
this is true, omit it. Bat most of these 
children have had nature study and in the 
actual presence of the class many hints 
will come to guide the skillful teacher in 
framing her questions and statements to 
coordinate the subject with what the 
children know. 


RHOECUS 


171 


association. The following questions will 
suggest how this step may be conducted. 

1 What kind of weather do you think 
it was when Rhoecus visited the wood? 
Select passages to prove your idea. 

2 Can you imagine “low-toned words, 
serene, and full, and clear, as drops of 
dew” ? 

3 Do you not think that the Dryad's 
gratitude was out of proportion to the 
labor that Rhoecus had done for her? 

4 Do you think Rhoecus was very 
modest in his request? Or realizing that 
he had performed but a small service, was 
he greedy to take advantage of the Dryad’s 
simple generosity and to grasp an unde- 
served reward ? 

5 Do you think he had an “endless 
craving” for the affection of this creature 
cr was it merely a momentary impulse? 

6 It seems evident that Rhoecus in- 
terpreted the generosity of the Dryad as 


% 


172 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


indicating that her affection was a rather 
cheap thing which he might enjoy without 
making any sacrifice or obligating himself. 

7 Why was it a “perilous gift”? Be- 
cause it required a corresponding devotion 
from the one who received it. She sus- 
pected that Rhoecus was too selfish to give 
this and would therefore be greatly dis- 
appointed when she rejected him. 

8 Did Rhoecus stop to consider this 
hint? No. Why? Because he was in- 
terested only in what he was to get out of 
it and not what it would be appropriate 
for him to return to such a creature? 

9 Explain the phrases, “Earth seemed 
to spring beneath him”; “Sunshine seemed 
to glitter through his veins”. 

10 Were the reminders which the Dry- 
ad sent all that Rhoecus could reasonably 
ask for? 

11 Read lines 105-106 and see if the 


RHOECUS 


173 


sound of the words suggest the coming of 
the bee. 

12 What is meant when it says he 
felt as if “the blood sank from his heart”, 
etc.? 

Do you think that his feeling this way 
was evidence that he knew that he was 
guilty ? 

13 What is meant by line 146? Rhoe- 
cus had entirely underestimated the value 
of what the Dryad had promised. He 
was spiritually incapable of seeing it. 

14 Was Rhoecus simply disappointed 
or truly penitent? 

15 What words by their sound indi- 
cate the bitterness and harshness of his 
disappointment? See “rattling”, “crisp”, 
“raking”, “harshly”, “curse”. 

16 The last two lines seem to indicate 
that instead of trying to sympathize with 
nature Rhoecus continued in his blindness. 
He was never really penitent. 


174 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Rhoecus 

I 

God sends his teachers unto every age, 
To every clime and every race of men, 
With revelations fitted to their growth 
And shape of mind, nor gives the realm 
of Truth 

Into the selfish rule of one sole race: 
Therefore each form of worship that hath 
swayed 

The life of man, and given it to grasp 
The master key of knowledge, reverence, 
Infolds some germs of goodness and of 
right ; 

Else never had the eager soul, which loathes 
The slothful down of pampered ignorance, 
Found in it even a moment’s fitful rest. 

II 

There is an instinct in the human heart 
Which makes that all the fables it hath 
coined, 

To justify the reign of its belief 

And strengthen it by beauty’s right divine, 

Note : — Do not try to teach stanzas I and II 
to children. 


RHOECUS 


175 


Veil in their inner cells a mystic gift, 

Which, like the hazel twig, in faithful hands, 
Points surely .to the hidden springs of 
truth. 

For, as in Nature naught is made in vain, 
But all things have within their hull of use 
A wisdom and a meaning which may speak 
Of spiritual secrets to the ear 
Of spirit; so, in whatsoe’er the heart 
Hath fashioned for a solace to itself, 

To make its inspirations suit its creed, 
And from the niggard hands of falsehood 
wring 

Its needful food of truth, there ever is 
A sympathy with Nature, which reveals, 
Not less than her own works, pure gleams 
of light 

And earnest parables of inward lore. 
Hear now this fairy legend of old Greece, 
As full of gracious youth and beauty still 
As the immortal freshness of that grace 
Carved for all ages on some Attic frieze. 

Ill 

A youth named Rhoecus, wandering in 
the wood, 


176 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Saw an old oak just trembling to its fall, 
And, feeling pity of so fair a tree, 

He propped its gray trunk with admiring 
care, 

And with a thoughtless footstep loitered on. 
But, as he turned, he heard a voice behind 
That murmured “Rhoecus!” ‘Twas as 
if the leaves, 

Stirred by a passing breath, had murmured 
it, 

And while he paused bewildered, yet again 
It murmured “Rhoecus!” softer than a 
breeze. 

He started and beheld with dizzy eyes 
What seemed the substance of a happy 
dream 

Stand there before him, spreading a warm 
glow 

Within the green glooms of the shadowy 
oak. 

It seemed a woman’s shape, yet far too fair 
To be a woman, and with eyes too meek 
For any that were wont to mate with gods. 
All naked like a goddess stood she there, 
And like a goddess all too beautiful 


RHOECUS 


177 


To feel the guilt-born earthliness of shame. 
“Rhoecus, I am the Dryad of this tree,” 
Thus she began, dropping her low-toned 
words 

Serene, and full, and clear, as drops of dew, 
“And with it I am doomed to live and die; 
The rain and sunshine are my caterers, 
Nor have I other bliss than simple life; 
Now ask me what thou wilt that I can give, 
And with a thankful joy it shall be thine.” 

IV 

Then Rhoecus, with a flutter at the heart, 
Yet by the prompting of such beauty bold, 
Answered: “What is there that can satisfy 
The endless craving of the soul but love? 
Give me thy love, or but the hope of that 
Which must be evermore my nature’s goal.” 
After a little pause she said again, 

But with a glimpse of sadness in her tone, 
“I give it, Rhoecus, though a perilous gift; 
An hour before the sunset meet me here.” 
And straightway there was nothing he 
could see 

But the green glooms beneath the shadowy 
oak, 


178 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


And not a sound came to his straining ears 
But the low trickling rustle of the leaves, 
And far away upon an emerald slope 
The falter of an idle shepherd’s pipe. 


V 

Now, in those days of simpleness and faith, 

Men did not think that happy things were 
dreams 

Because they overstepped the narrow 
bourn 

Of likelihood, but reverently deemed 

Nothing too wonderous or too beautiful 

To be the guerdon of a daring heart. 

So Rhoecus made no doubt that he was 
blest, 

And all along unto the city’s gate 

Earth seemed to spring beneath him as he 
walked, 

The clear, broad sky looked bluer than 
its wont, 

And he could scarce believe he had not 
wings, 

Such sunshine seemed to glitter through 
his veins 


R1I0ECUS 


179 


Instead of blood, so light he felt and 
strange. 

VI 

/ 

Young Rhoecus had a faithful heart enough, 
But one that in the present dwelt too much, 
And, taking with blithe welcome what- 
soe’er 

Chance gave of joy, was wholly bound in 
that, 

Like the contented peasant of a vale 
Deemed it the world and never looked 
beyond. 

So, haply meeting in the afternoon 
Some comrades who were playing at the 
dice, 

He joined them, and forgot all else besides. 

VII 

The dice were rattling at the merriest, 

And Rhoecus, who had met but sorry luck, 
Just laughed in triumph at a happy throw, 
When through the room there hummed a 
yellow bee 

That buzzed about his ear with down- 
dropped legs 


180 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


As if to light. And Rhoecus laughed and 
said, 

Feeling how red and flushed he was with 
loss, 

“By Venus! does he take me for a rose?” 

And brushed him off with rough, impatient 
hand. 

But still the bee came back, and thrice 
again 

Rhoecus did beat him off with growing 
wrath. 

Then through the window flew the wounded 
bee, 

And Rhoecus, tracking him with angry 
eyes, 

Saw a sharp mountain peak of Thessaly 

Against the red disk of the setting sun, — 

And instantly the blood sank from his heart, 

As if its very walls had caved away. 

Without a word he turned, and, rushing 
forth, 

Ran madly through the city and the gate, 

And o’er the plain, which now the w T ood’s 
long shade, 


RHOECUS 181 

ft 

By the low sun thrown forward broad and 
dim, 

Darkened well-nigh unto the city’s wall. 

VIII 

Quite spent and out of breath he reached 
the tree, 

And, listening tearfully, he heard once 
more 

The low voice murmur “Rhoecus!” close 
at hand; 

Whereat he looked around him, but could 
see 

Naught but the deepening glooms beneath 
the oak. 

Then sighed the voice: “0 Rhoecus! 
nevermore 

Shalt thou behold me or by day or night, 

Me, who would fain have blessed thee 
with a love 

More ripe and bounteous than ever yet 

Filled up with nectar any mortal heart; 

But thou didst scorn my humble messenger, 

And sent’st him back to me with bruised 
wings. 


182 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


We spirits only show to gentle eyes, 

We ever ask an undivided love, 

And he who scorns the least of Nature’s 
works 

Is thenceforth exiled and shut out from all. 
Farewell! for thou canst never see me 
more.” 

IX 

Then Rhoecus beat his breast and groaned 
aloud, 

And cried, “Be pitiful! forgive me yet 
This once, and I shall never need it more!” 
“Alas!” the voice returned, “’tis thou art 
blind, 

Not I unmerciful; I can forgive, 

But have no skill to heal thy spirit’s eyes; 
Only the soul hath power o’er itself.” 
With that again there murmured “Never- 
more!” 

And Rhoecus after heard no other sound 
Except the rattling of the oak’s crisp leaves, 
Like the long surf upon a distant shore 
Raking the sea- worn pebbles up and down. 
The night had gathered round him; o’er 
the plain 


RHOECUS 


183 


The city sparkled with its thousand lights, 
And sounds of revel fell upon his ear 
Harshly and like a curse; above, the sky, 
With all its bright sublimity of stars, 
Deepened, and on his forehead smote the 
breeze; 

Beauty was all around him and delight, 
But from that eve he was alone on earth. 


CHAPTER V 
Lowell’s “Singing Leaves” 

Teacher s Preparation 
The main theme of this poem seems to be 
that the most valuable experiences in life 
are those spiritual experiences which are 
characterized by sincerity, simplicity, un- 
selfishness; and which are best expressed in 
music and other fine arts. Another thought 
is the superior beauty of character in those 
devoted to these spiritual experiences. 
Still another thought is that true, unselfish 
affection is a foundation from which one can 
rise to the higher spiritual life. Another 
is that great thoughts and understanding 
come more readily to those of humble 
spirit, a£ shown in the humbled spirit of 
the king as he seeks the “Singing Leaves” 
from his page. 

The poet has given this a setting in the 

( 184 ) 


lowell’s “singing leaves'’ 


185 


realm of the royal social circle for the 
reason that there the temptation to be 
arrogant, selfish and worldly is greatest. 
Therefore it would be there that modest, 
sincere devotion to the spiritual life would 
appear most beautiful. Here we have an 
effective contrast which gives evidence of 
the author’s good artistic insight. How- 
ever he does not intend to say that the 
poem is exclusively applicable to the higher 
social circles. He clearly suggests the 
universality of the beauty of the higher 
spiritual life. 

Lowell’s wide experience with people, 
his life as teacher, diplomat, literary man, 
and man of affairs has offered him oppor- 
tunity for observation of men and women 
in varied circumstances. It is evident that 
he had come to divide characters into two 
classes — one, the worldly, selfish and un- 
beautiful; the other, the devoted, spiritual 
and beautiful. It is clear alsb that his 


186 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


growing experience had intensified his 
appreciation of the latter type. 

In order to express these thoughts with 
emphasis and win people to an appreciation 
of thje spiritually beautiful life and charac- 
ter, the author chose the singing leaves as 
a symbol of spiritual pleasures and con- 
structed such characters and placed them 
in such relation to one another that we 
clearly understand the thought and are 
quickly won to sympathy with the spirit- 
ual element. The two older daughters 
express their love of clothes and orna- 
ments with a passionate but not vulgar 
language. We feel that the case for the 
vanities has been fairly and ably presented. 
They are not scorned, but rather are de- 
scribed in such language as makes them 
appeal. This is a strong element. It shows 
the poet’s confidence in his ability to con- 
vince us of the superior worth of spiritual 
possessions. 


lowell’s “singing leaves” 187 


When we discover the charming quali- 
ties of the youngest daughter we feel that 
the author’s confidence was warranted. 
Her innocence and gentleness rebuke the 
proud and haughty king. Her tenacious 
love of the beautiful withstands the con- 
tempt of the royal family. Her gentle 
affection for her father redeems him 
from being a lover of vanity to being a 
searcher for spiritual beauty. Her dis- 
covery of high worth in the humble page 
shows her keen insight into character. 
At the end of the poem we find her fidelity 
to her ideals, her affection for her family, 
her faith in the power of goodness, all 
justifiably triumphant. 

The elements of contrast are very ef- 
fective in the poem — the forwardness of 
the two older daughters, the retiring mod- 
esty of the youngest ; the impetuous harsh- 
ness of the father, the patient gentleness 
of the youngest daughter; the stupid super- 


188 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 



ficiality of the king, the keen intellect and 
quick sensibilities of the page. 

The language and minor imagery of the 
poem are delicately suggestive of the sub- 
stance. The little word “up” suggests the 
character of the oldest daughter. The line 
introducing the second daughter is a little 
more deliberate, showing her habit of wait- 
ing her turn. A whole stanza is used to 
introduce the third daughter and the lan- 
guage is entirely devoid of the haste and 
impulsiveness of the former introductions. 
The same is true of the language in which 
she expresses her request. And yet the 
music of her speech makes us feel that her 
love for the thing she desires is far deeper 
than the love of the two older daughters 
for the things for which they ask. There 
is a very effective contrast between the 
arbitrary, selfsatisfied language of the 
king to his daughters and the bewildered, 
pleading words with which he appeals to 


lowell’s “singing leaves” 


189 


his page for help. The mystery, the quiet, 
musical spell expressed in the language of 
stanzas three and four of part two are al- 
together foreign to the noisy, jangling, 
matter-of-fact world appropriately sug- 
gested by the speeches of the king in part 
one. 

Method 

There are two parts of the method that 
may be difficult to work out in teaching 
this poem. They are number one under 
the method of preparation and number 
three under the method of association. 
The first is difficult bjecause the thought 
of the poem is one which the children have 
never formulated into abstract form. 
Nevertheless it is one of which they have 
felt the force in the concrete. They quick- 
ly distinguish the difference between the 
impressions made by refined, gentle per- 
sonalities and those made by coarse, sel- 
fish, vain people. Consequently we must 


190 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


keep our questions mostly in the concrete. 
By doing this we can stimulate love for 
the ideal set forth in the poem, and this is 
our aim. 

The children may be brought face to 
face with the problem by some such ques- 
tions and statements as follow. 

“Think of some of the people whom you 
like best — some of your playmates, teach- 
ers or people in stories you have read. 
Why did you like them better than you did 
others? Can you tell by the manners and 
looks and actions of people when you first 
meet them whether they have these quali- 
ties? Did you ever know anyone to ac- 
quire these qualities?” From some such 
concrete beginning the teacher can easily 
lead to a discussion of those spiritual quali- 
ties that make people lovable. 

Some such questions and statements as 
follow may be used in the associative 
process. 


lowell’s “singing leaves” 


191 


Does the word ‘up’ tell us anything 
about the character of the oldest daughter? 

How do you think she spoke when she 
made her request known to her father — * 
her voice and manner? 

Why would ‘silks that will stand alone’ 
be of especially good quality? They 
would be heavy and tightly woven and so 
contain a great amount of silk per yard. 

Did you ever see any such silk? 

What word or words in stanza four show 
the refined, modest taste of the youngest 
daughter? ‘Dim’. 

What kind of voice and manner of speak- 
ing do you think the youngest daughter 
had? 

What is the meaning of line 27? 

Perhaps the king remembered with 
regret that he had injured her mother’s 
feelings in the same way. 

What proof is there that the king had . 
much goodness in his heart ? 


192 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Do you think it was humiliating for him 
to be obliged to ask the page for the sing- 
ing leaves? 

Did ybu ever hear the sound described 
in stanzas three and four of part II? Did 
it not seem to suggest some bewildering 
mystery? Do you think the king was a 
lover of nature? Did he know much 
about it? It is evident that the king dis- 
covered here that there are some great 
things in life which he had never under- 
stood or appreciated. Music evidently 
was one of them. He now hears the mel- 
ody of the rain in the forest and it bewil- 
ders him. He had regarded all these things 
with contempt. Here was music more 
soothing and restful than any that mortals 
could make and yet he had missed it all 
his life. 

What words or acts of Walter indicate 
that he was bright and clever? 

Do you suppose the king had failed to 


lowell’s “singing leaves” 


193 


notice that it was the habit of his youngest 
daughter to run to meet him when he re- 
turned home? 

Who had noticed it? 

What do you think these singing leaves 
were? 


The singing leaves 

I 

“What fairings will ye that I bring?” 
Said the King to hi$ daughters three; 
“For I to Vanity Fair am bound, 

Now say what shall they be?” 

Then up and spake the eldest daughter, 
That lady tall and grand: 

“Oh, bring me pearls and diamonds great, 
And gold rings for my hand.” 

Thereafter spake the second daughter, 
That was both white and red: 

”For me bring silks that will stand alone, 

And a gold comb for my head.” 


194 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Then came the turn of the least daughter, 
That was whiter than thistle down, 
And among the gold of her blithesome hair 
Dim shone the golden crown. 

“There came a bird this morning, 

And sang ’neath my bower eaves, 

Till I dreamed, as his music made me, 
‘Ask thou for the Singing Leaves.’ ” 

Then the brow of the King swelled crimson 
With a flash of angry scorn: 

“Well have ye spoken, my two eldest, 
And chosen as ye were born; 

v * 

“But she, like a thing of peasant race, 
That is happy binding the sheaves;” 
Then he saw her dead mother in her face, 
And said, “Thou shalt have thy leaves.” 

II 

He mounted and road three days and nights 
Till he came to Vanity Fair, 

And ’twas easy to buy the gems and the 
silk, 

But no Singing Leaves were there. 


195 


lowell’s “singing leaves” 

Then deep in the greenwood rode he, 

And asked of every tree, 

“Oh, if you have ever a Singing Leaf, 

1 pray you give it to me!” 

But the trees all kept their counsel, 

And never a word said they, 

Only there sighed from the pine tops 
A music of seas far away. 

Only the pattering aspen 

Made a sound of growing rain, 

That fell ever faster and faster, 

Then faltered to silence again. 

“Oh, where shall I find a little foot page 
That would win both hose and shoon, 

And will bring me the Singing Leaves 
If they grow under the moon?” 

Then lightly turned him Walter the page, 
By the stirrup as he ran: 

“Now pledge you me the truesome word 
Of a king and gentleman, 

“That you will give me the first, first thing 
You meet at your castle gate, 


196 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


And the Princess shall get the Singing 
Leaves, 

Or mine be a traitor’s fate.” 

The King’s head dropt upon his breast 
A moment, as it might be; 

’Twill be my dog, he thought, and said, 
“My faith I plight to thee.” 

Then Walter took from next his heart, 
A packet small and thin, 

“Now give you this to the Princess Anne, 
The Singing Leaves are therein.” 

Ill 

As the King rode in at his castle gate, 

A maiden to meet him ran, 

And “Welcome, father!” she laughed and 
cried 

Together, the Princess Anne. 

“Lo, here the Singing Leaves,” quoth he, 
“And woe but they cost me dear!” 

She took the packet, and the smile 
Deepened down beneath the tear. 


lowell’s “singing leaves’" 


197 


It deepened down till it reached her heart, 
And then gushed up again, 

And lighted her tears as the sudden sun 
Transfigures the summer rain. 

And the first Leaf, when it was opened, 
Sang; “I am Walter the page, 

And the songs I sing ’neath thy window 
Are my only heritage.” 

And the second Leaf sang: “But in the 

land 

That is neither on earth nor sea, 

My lute and I are lords of more 
Than thrice this kingdom’s fee.” 

And the third Leaf sang, “Be mine! Be 
mine! 

And ever it sang, “Be mine!” 

Then sweeter it sang and ever sweeter, 
And said, “I am thine, thine, thine!” 

At the first Leaf she grew pale enough, 
At the second she turned aside, 

At the third, ’twas as if a lily flushed 
With the rose’s red heart’s tide. 



198 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


“Good counsel gave the bird,” she said, 
“I have my hopes thrice o’er, 

For they sing to my very heart,” she said, 
“And it sings to them evermore.” 

She brought to him her beauty and truth, 
But and broad earldoms three, 

And he made her queen of the broader 
lands 

He held of his lute in fee. 


CHAPTER VI 

Incident of the French camp 

Teacher's Preparation 

The Incident of The French Camp was 
published in 1843, twenty-two years after 
the death of Napoleon. The author, 
Robert Browning, was about thirty years 
old at this time, young enough to be im- 
pressed by the brilliant magnetism of 
Napoleon’s career and yet mature and 
thoughtful enough to get a somewhat 
analytical perspective of the problems 
of the Napoleonic era. Browning was by 
temperament a dramatic poet and there- 
fore he would be primarily interested in 
the interplay of personalities. Certainly 
no period in history has been more con- 
spicuously dominated and shaped by a 
few great personalities — Napoleon, Well- 

( 199 ) 


200 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


ington, Pitt, Nelson, Marie Antoinette, 
Josephine. 

The Problem which seems to have in- 
terested the author was, whence was the 
energy which could make such radical and 
rapid transformations in the old, conserva- 
tive empires of the world? Governments 
whose foundations were moss covered by 
the traditions of centuries crumbled like 
dust before the shock of the earthquake 
then convulsing Europe, and their constit- 
uent elements, supposed to be granite, 
were molded like clay in the hands of the 
giant personalities then shaping the new 
destinies of human institutions. Govern- 
ments, religions, philosophies, social cus- 
toms, educational systems fell in ruins 
one week and reappeared the next in en- 
tirely new design. Humanity and human 
institutions seemed to be under the spell 
of a great magician. 

Most interpreters of the period have 


INCIDENT OF THE FRENCH CAMP 201 


seen in it little but selfishness, tyranny, 
bloodshed. Browning’s strong hearted 
optimism supported in him a belief that 
somewhere in this unparalleled tragedy of 
nations we can find a great heroism. This 
he discovered in the fidelity and devotion 
of the men and boys, officers and common 
soldiers who endured suffering and death 
with grim enthusiasm. The amazing 
phenonenon of the period is not so much 
the genius of Napoleon as it is the irresis- 
tible power of a nation stirred to tragic 
ecstasy by a common ideal and impulse. 
We have here the spirit of little Sparta 
firing the imaginations and hearts of a 
nation of thirty millions. This little poem 
of Browning’s is like a sissing brand hurled 
out of the great conflagration, ft suggests 
to us to look forward to the coming of some 
great literary genius who can adequately 
stage this period of history — its nation 
wide hero worship, its magical military 


202 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


geniuses and martial madness, its fanatical 
indifference to sacrifice and death, its 
pomp and display, its meteoric firmament 
of ideas and ideals, the glare of its flaming 
passions, and the gray pathos that has 
settled around its historic perspective. 
Browning’s poem impresses us as the pro- 
duct of a man who saw and felt all of this 
but recognized the inadequacy of his genius 
to reconstruct it entire. He chose, there- 
fore, to give us an “Incident” which would 
suggest truly what he conceived but could 
not completely embody. Such, then, is 
the point of view of the poem. Its thought 
and inspiration center around the heroic 
devotion of the French people. It is a 
noble spirit that can pay so impartial and 
sincere a tribute to a people who had but 
recently threatened to extinguish the in- 
dependence of his own nation. 

Method 

“The story of France from 1789 to 1815 
is one of the most thrilling in the history 


INCIDENT OF THE FRENCH CAMP 203 


of the world. During this time the old 
tyrannical monarchy was destroyed and a 
republic established. Then the republic 
was overthrown and an empire substituted 
for it. Many of the best people of France 
were in favor of establishing the republic. 
But during this change, bad men got con- 
trol and in order to get the support of the 
ignorant and vicious they instituted a 
reign of terror in which thousands of the 
best people were killed simply because 
they were wealthy or of cultured families. 

The revolutionists tried to spread the 
movement to other countries and so there 
was soop war with Russia, Austria, and 
England combined against France. The 
greatest general in France was a man of 
Italian race but a native of the island of 
Corsica which belonged to France. This 
was Napoleon Bonaparte. 

This man became the leader of the most 
enthusiastic and devoted soldiers the world 


204 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


has ever known. This was due to the 
facts that he was diligent in caring for and 
equipping his men, that he led them to 
almost miraculous victories, and that his 
presence inspired them with confidence. 
Men were eager to be in his armies, to 
have him see their gallantry and praise , 
them for it. They believed that he would 
accomplish great things and they wished 
to be with him when he did it. 

By the aid of these soldiers he did ac- 
complish wonders. He defeated more great 
armies, dethroned more rulers, changed 
more governments and ruled more people 
than any man who had lived before him. 
So enthusiastic were the French people, 
especially the soldiers, that they made 
him emperor although they had suf- 
fered a terrible revolution in order to 
establish a republic. Many stories are 
told of the deeds of daring and the un- 
complaining endurance of suffering by the 


INCIDENT OF THE FRENCH CAMP 205 


soldiers just out of devotion to their em- 
peror. And yet it was a blind worship 
of a man who was ungrateful and selfish. 
In return for their great devotion he sacri- 
ficed them cruelly to maintain his personal 
power. 

In 1843, about twenty-two years after 
the death of Napoleon, Robert Browning, 
an English poet, wrote a poem which 
shows us a picture of the great general 
and tells a story which illustrates the great 
love of the soldiers. This poem is en- 
titled “An Incident of the French Camp”. 

Though this incident may not have 
occurred exactly as told, yet it is like many 
of the daring deeds of sacrifice performed by 
the soldiers. But it is probable that 
Browning has picked one of the actual 
stories from the battle field. The battle 
of Ratisbon occurred in April 1809. At 
this time Napoleon’s empire was in con- 
stant unrest and frequent revolt. The 


206 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


foreign nations were jealous and eager to 
regain territory taken by Napoleon and so 
were ready to attack whenever they 
thought they had Napoleon at a disad- 
vantage. It was such an attack that 
Austria had made at this time. The Aus- 
trian Grand Duke Charles was command- 
ing the attack. He was a very able gen- 
eral and Napoleon realized that if Charles 
should seriously' defeat him now, other 
nations would be declaring war at once 
and his power would be broken. The 
French soldiers also doubtless realized this 
and so were fighting with almost super- 
human energy to maintain the power of 
their inspiring Emperor. 

In Browning’s story he tells us how the 
news of the victory was brought to the 
Emperor by a wounded soldier and how 
the Emperor received the messenger. This 
messenger is called a boy. It is a fact that 
so many men had been killed in the French 


INCIDENT OF THE FRENCH CAMP 207 


Revolution and in the later French wars 
that Napoleon’s soldiers at this time were 
mostly boys from sixteen to twenty. But 
they fought with a boy’s enthusiasm, won 
victories with a boy’s dash and courage, 
worshipped their Emperor with a boy’s 
devotion and died with a boy’s love of 
glory. For five years Napoleon was de- 
pendent upon the boys of France to resist 
the great armies of the nations and to 
maintain his imperial power. One of the 
saddest pictures in history is that of these 
young lads returning from the frozen 
regions of Russia. Poorly clad, hungry 
and exhausted some died of starvation, 
many were frozen to death and hundreds 
were slaughtered by the peasants and 
Cossacks who followed them. The world 
should never cease to admire those brave 
and loyal boy soldiers and to deplore their 
tragic self-sacrifice. 

The story in the following poem is being 


208 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


told in later years by one of these boys 
now grown old. The image of the Em- 
peror is still vivid in his memory, and the 
spirit of the boy soldier has not lost its 
ardor. Imagine the old veteran as he 
recalls the scene of battle. He is evidently 
exchanging stories with an old comrade.” 

Teacher read the poem, make outline, 
etc. 

Association 

1 “How many have seen a picture of 
Napoleon? 

2 Did it look like the description in 
stanza one? 

3 Is there anything in this picture to 
indicate that Napoleon was intensely 
interested and thinking hard? 

‘Neck outthrust.’ 

4 Is there anything to indicate that he 
was not so excited as to lose control of 
himself? 

‘Legs wide, arms locked behind.’ 


INCIDENT OF THE FRENCH CAMP 209 


5 What is the meaning of ‘prone brow, 
Oppressive with its mind’? 

His outthrust neck and shoulders drawn 
down and back by his hands being locked 
behind made him look as though his brow 
were thrown forward so that it hung over. 
The effect of this was to give him the ap- 
pearance of being engaged in vigorous 
thought. 

This habitual pose of Napoleon doubt- 
less impressed his soldiers with his self- 
control and masterful intellect. 

6 What change in his appearance did 
the message of the boy make? 

‘The chief’s eye flashed.’ 

7 Don’t you think that most men under 
such trying circumstances would have been 
excited when they saw the boy coming 
and heard his message? 

8 How far had the boy ridden to give 
this message? A mile. 

9 Was the delivery of the message a 


210 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


necessity or did it make any difference in 
the result? No. 

10 Why did the boy make this painful 
trip to the Emperor? 

He wanted the Emperor’s commenda- 
tion. 

11 Was there anything about the way 
this boy came that indicated the way the 
soldiers had fought? 

His desperate determination to carry 
the good news must have been the same 
spirit with which he and his comrades had 
won the victory. 

12 Were the boys most anxious to win 
for the Emperor or France? 

13 Why did the boy try to hold himeslf 
erect when he was so badly wounded? 

Because he was proud to appear strong 
and brave before the general. 

14 Why was the soldier’s pride ‘touch- 
ed to the quick’? 

Because he saw that Napoleon failed to 
appreciate the sacrifice he had made.” 


INCIDENT OF THE FRENCH CAMP 211 


Incident of the French camp 

I 

You know, we French stormed Ratisbon: 
A mile or so away, 

On a little mound, Napoleon 
Stood on our storming day; 

With neck outthrust, you fancy how, 
Legs wide, arms locked behind, 

As if to balance the prone brow 
Oppressive with its mind. 

II 

Just as perhaps he mused, “My plans 
That soar the earth may fall, 

Let once my army leader Lannes 
Waver at yonder wall.” 

Out ’twixt the battery smoke there flew 
A rider, bound on bound 
Full galloping; nor bridle drew 
Until he reached the mound. 

III 

Then off there flung in smiling joy, 

And held himself erect 
By just his horse’s mane, a boy: 

You hardly could suspect — 


212 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


(So tight he kept his lips compressed, 
Scarce any blood came through) 

You looked twice ere you saw his breast 
Was all but shot in two. 

IV 

“Well,” he cried, “Emperor, by God’s 
grace 

We’ve got you Ratisbon! 

The Marshal’s in the market place, 

And you’ll be there anon 
To see your flag bird flap his vans 
Where I, to heart’s desire, 

Perched him!” The chief’s eye flashed; 
his plans 

Soared up aga : n like fire. 

V 

The chief’s eye flashed; but presently 
Softened itself, as sheathes 
A film the mother eagle’s eye 

When her bruised eaglet breathes; 
“You’re wounded!” ‘Nay,” the soldier’s 
pride 

Touched to the quick, he said: 

“I’m killed, Sire!” And his chief beside, 
Smiling the boy fell dead. 


CHAPTER VII 
To a Skylark 

Teacher's Preparation 

Out of a mind honestly revolting against 
the institutions of his fellows came the 
vision of The Skylark, a vision of pure 
freedom. Out of a heart sore and wound- 
ed by its beating against the bars of social 
bondage came the exultant joy and trans- 
cendent yearning of this poem. 

What man with all his splendid phil- 
osophy, his training, his culture, his in- 
stitutions and his superior endowments 
has tragically missed, this simple creature 
of the field has found and easily appro- 
priated. The mastery, the mental and 
spiritual freedom which to man can be no 
more than a vague dream of some infinietly 
remote possibility is to the skylark a present 

reality. How did the lark attain it ? What 

( 213 ) 


214 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


faith, what endowment of divine insight, 
what immunity from the blight of doubt 
and fear and hate, what close communion 
with the spirit that creates and sustains 
and supplies the abundance of life have 
filled the heart of this unschooled and un- 
governed creature of the fields and the 
skies with the assurance that annihilates 
all sense of bondage? Such are the central 
theme and dominant emotion of Shelley’s 
lyric “Toa Skylark”. 

Through long and bitter years Shelley 
had carried an ideal to which he adhered 
with dauntless loyalty. For it he had 
suffered misinterpretation and ostracism. 
Nowhere could he find an example or 
even a symbol to justify it. The more 
his own life and his writings failed to con- 
vince others of the worth of his ideal, the 
deeper grew his devotion. Such had been 
the undying faith, the long struggle to 
win a low browed and enslaved race, the 



TO A SKYLARK 


215 


ardent search for some convincing symbol, 
when the bursting song of the skylark 
in the cloudless and sun flooded sky of 
Italy furnished him a fitting embodiment 
for his ideal of perfect freedom. Such was 
the point of view , the penetrative insight. 
As a social philosophy we must frankly 
confess that Shelley’s ideal was altogether 
impracticable for long ages to come. But 
as the song of a great hope, the vision of a 
glorious and triumphant destiny, the voic- 
ing of a transcendent yearning its inspiring 
power is irresistible. 

His passion was for freedom, freedom 
from the conventionalities of society, the 
laws of institutions, from the burden and 
the weaknesses of the flesh, from the sordid 
passions of the heart. It is only fair to 
credit Shelley with unselfishness and sin- 
cerity and with a clear distinction between 
liberty and license. Perhaps we may 
question whether he clearly saw that the 



216 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


only road to liberty is the narrow and 
ragged climb to selfmasteriy ; but the goal 
which he saw was the true one. Shel- 
ley could not portray the heroic struggle 
for mastery. He missed the picturesque- 
ness of the battle and the thrill of victory. 
Bunyan, Milton, Carlyle, Tennyson and 
others have given us that. But few men 
ever longed more passionately for an un- 
fettered spirit and still fewer have con- 
ceived it more vividly. 

The language of the poem has the sin- 
eerest spontaneity. It has the music of 
sudden and impulsive ecstasy, the strength 
of a soul yearning upward to its highest 
destiny, and the vividness of an eye en- 
raptured by a vision of the Promised Land. 

The long pent up passion suddenly re- 
leased when a suitable symbol was found 
so dominated the construction and ex- 
pression of the poem that its unity was a 
natural consequence'. The oneness of the 


TO A SKYLARK 


217 


idea was the result of years of burning 
thought which had long since melted away 
every irrelevant detail. It was therefore 
by mere instinct that the author selected 
only such facts and pictures and language 
as expressed his ideal. The poem seems 
to have sprung spontaneously from a 
mind and heart long primed and waiting 
for the spark that should set it off. 

In this condition the poet wanders forth 
into the beautiful fields of Italy. In the 
midst of his reveries he is startled by a 
song that seems the expression of Nature’s 
elemental joy of freedom. In the first 
stanzas we hear the song and see the bird 
in his gorgeous background. Then come 
six or seven stanzas in which we reflect 
on what we have seen. And the product 
of our reflection is a great ecstasy and long- 
ing, a vision of what life might be for us if 
we could overcome our fears and our hates 
and our pride. 


218 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


The Skylark anywhere, even in the 
abstract, is interesting; but a skylark in 
Italy and seen there by Shelley could not 
be other than an occasion for ecstasy. 
Mortal man never flew more high on wings 
more light and airy than Shelley did. What 
a meaning and inspiration are to be de- 
rived from the scenery of Italy when we 
have Shelley and the skylark as interpre- 
ters! Shelley’s vision is that of the great 
prophets; to aspire and know that we can 
draw on the resources of the Infinite; to 
run and not be weary; to mount up as 
with eagle’s wings; to be loosed from the 
fetters of a dark, stifling and faithless 
past; to float and run in the golden light- 
ning of the sunken sun; and to pass be- 
yond the purple horizon into a heaven bare 
of clouds and filled through all its infinite 
space with the thrilling anthem of freedom. 

Method 

Now the question arises, can we teach 
such a poem to children: can they grasp 


TO A SKYLARK 


219 


any conception of its meaning? Have 
children ever felt with Shelley the burden 
and the bitterness of bondage? If you 
have ever been an active, energetic child 
you know that the answer is, yes. Every 
good boy’s story is a narration of some 
lad’s revolt against the galling restriction 
of his wayward impulses. He comes near- 
er than anyone else to feeling exactly the 
same resentment and yearning that Shelley 
felt. Nothing is so dear to him as the 
liberty to make the wide world of exper- 
ience his playhouse. He fashions a thou- 
sand dreams of far away times and realms 
where he may realize this freedom in com- 
plete fullness. He will take a vow to per- 
form the most heroic deeds in order to 
achieve it. With prophetic penetration 
Wordsworth says: 

“The soul that rises with us, our life’s star,. 
Hath had elsewhere its setting, 

And cometh from afar: 


220 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Not in entire forgetfulness , 

And not in utter nakedness, 

But trailing clouds of glory do we come 
From God, who is our home. 

Heaven lies about us in our infancy! 
Shades of the prison-house begin to close 
Upon the growing boy 
But he beholds the light, and whence it 
flows 

He sees it in his joy ; 

The youth, who daily farther from the east 
Must travel, still is Nature's priest 
And by the vision splendid 
Is on his way attended; 

At length the man perceives it die away 
And fade into the light of Common day." 

No one loathes the “prison house” as 
does the growing child. There can be no 
more inspiring task for the teacher than to 
help the young boy to see in the skylark 

the symbol of that freedom which the ac- 
cumulating cares of life are shutting from 

his view. 


TO A SKYLARK 


221 


Our task therefore is to arouse in the 
class the problem of soul freedom and to 
help them to get some true conception of 
the condition of soul that brings a man 
into such freedom. This we might attempt 
to do in some such way as follows: 

'‘How many in this class ever thought 
you would like to go away to some island 
or forest where you could do just as you 
please? 

“What would you do there which you 
cannot do now? 

“Do you think you would ever want to 
come back and live as you live here? 

“Suppose all the people here were abso- 
lutely fair and good hearted and doing all 
they could to make one another happy. 
And suppose you were off on this island 
alone. Do you think you would want to 
come back? 

“I wonder how much of our discontent 
is due to the fact that we dislike some one 


222 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


or that some one dislikes us or that we have 
done a mean trick to some one or we fear 
that some one is going to do a mean trick 
to us or that we are envious because some 
one has done better or been more favored 
than we or that we are not properly 
charitable toward one another? If we 
could be free from our own meanness and 
other people’s meanness, do you not think 
we might enjoy a more delightful freedom 
right here than off on that island? 

“Well, one of England’s great poets, 
Percy Bysshe Shelley, thought a great 
deal about this subject. He travelled over 
Europe trying to find some place where 
a man could live and be free to do just as 
he pleased. Finally as he was walking 
through the fields in Italy one day he 
suddenly heard the song of a skylark above 
him. He watched the bird for a long time 
and listened to its song until it disappeared 
toward the setting sun. The European 


TO A SKYLARK 


223 


skylark is a wonderful singer. It sings as 
it flies. 

“As Shelley watched this bird going up 
in a spiral movement singing as it went 
it seemed to him that here was a creature 
that enjoyed the freedom for which the 
poet longed. The joy of the bird’s song 
and his liberty and ability to go where he 
pleased were evidence that he was not 
bound by the restrictions which made the 
poet unhappy. So the poet tried to think 
about the bird’s life and why it was that 
he did not seem to be conscious of any of 
this restriction. 

“Now as I read the poem notice how the 
description of the lark’s flight and song 
seem to show that he is filled with joy. 
Notice then how the author tries to ex- 
plain the cause of this joy.” 

The oral reading of this poem is a special- 
ly important factor. The music of it will 
do as much as anything else to carry the 


224 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


inspiration into the sanctuary of the child’s 
heart. 

After the poem has been read the teach- 
er should do such dictionary work as is 
necessary and then help the children make 
a brief topical outline. This outline will 
have three large divisions. The first will 
show a series of pictures of the bird; the 
second, the comparisons which the poet 
makes; and the third, the longing which the 
bird inspires in the poet. The teacher 
should use her judgment as to whether 
subdivisions are desirable. 

After outlining we might have a more 
thorough interpretation. Perhaps, in- 
stead of questioning the children as we do 
in most poems, it would be more effective 
with this poem to give a sort of running 
commentary as follows: 

“Now let us examine the poem more 
thoroughly and see just what it was in the 
bird as Shelley saw it that made it seem 


TO A SKYLARK 


225 


to him a creature that enjoyed this unusual 
freedom. 

“The poet hears a burst of song from a 
‘blithe heart’ — no restraint, no embar- 
rassment, just a voice singing its joy of 
life. Many a time we would like to do 
this but are restrained by fear of being 
ridiculed or reproved. 

“Higher and still higher, no weariness, 
life and energy inexhaustible. He still 
doth soar and soaring ever singeth, en- 
durance is no problem with him. How 
often our sports cease to be a pleasure 
because our bodies are too weary to enjoy 
th6m! 

“ ‘In the golden lightning of the sunken 
sun’ — the bird’s abundance of life and 
song is matched by the splendor of the 
heavens. See the clouds as they take on 
their rich colors while floating before the 
sun! And in this brilliant field of light 
and colors the bird ‘floats’ — he ‘floats’ — 


226 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


no effort — and ‘runs’ for joy. After such 
long and violent exertion to show no weari- 
ness, no exhaustion from hunger or thirst, 
always going, always fresh, always eager 
as at the beginning of a race — the bird 
seems to the poet like an ‘unbodied joy’, 
a spirit freed from all the inconvenience 
of a heavy weight of bone and flesh. 

“The scene changes. The gorgeous colors 
are gone. The sky is pale and purple. 
Can you see the ‘pale purple even’? And 
can you see it ‘melt’ around the lark? 
The splendor of the sunset is gone, the 
bird is gone. But the ‘shrill delight’ pro- 
longs the charm. We are oblivious to 
everything else. For us the world is ‘bare’ 
of objects and sounds except the song. 
With this the ‘earth and air’ are ‘loud’. 
The heavens are ‘overflowed’ with a song 
of boundless life and joy and freedom. 

“In our reverie we trv to think what this 
wonderful creature is like. Why does he 


TO A SKYLARK 


227 


sing? Is it for praise or fame or reward? 
Is it because he thinks someone is watching 
him? No, he is ‘like a poet hidden’, 
absorbed in thought, preferring to be 
alone. He is like a maiden singing of the 
love which she would have no one know. 
He is like a glow-worm avoiding display, 
motionless in the grass and dew lest some- 
thing may discover him. He is like a rose 
concealed within its own green leaves 
from which the warm winds must steal 
its fragrance. He is like the soft, modest, 
soothing ‘sound of vernal showers on the 
twinkling grass’. With all his joy and 
loveliness the lark is modest and retiring. 
All that ever was joyous, and clear, and 
fresh, his ‘music doth surpass’, and yet 
it is not for display or praise. It is just 
for the joy of the song, the joy of freedom 
to go where he pleases and do what he 
wills. It is joy without end; life and fresh- 
ness and activity and gratification without 
vanity or disappointment or satiety. 


228 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


“It comes from his happy thoughts. 
'Teach us, sprite or bird, 

What sweet thoughts are thine?’ 

“We have never heard a song ‘that pant- 
ed forth a flood of rapture so divine’. It is 
a flood. It fills the heavens and continues 
to flow. It is warm with life. It is a 
‘rapture’ — no restraint, no subtone of 
doubt or fear or regret. It is the song 
of a free spirit. Look where we will among 
the songs of man and we feel an emptiness, 
‘a hidden want’, a ‘languor’, a ‘satiety’, 
a dread, or an ungratified longing. We 
hear in mortal music the discordant sounds 
of ‘scorn’, ‘hate’, ‘pride’, ‘fear’, greed. 

“The bird must see a goodness and a 
freedom in ‘fountains’, ‘fields’, ‘waves’, 
‘mountains’, ‘skies’ and ‘plains’ which 
we do not find. He must enjoy a freedom 
from ugly feelings and from weaknesses 
and ailments of the body of which we have 
never dreamed. If the lark would teach 
us but half the joy that he must know, it 
would change our entire life.’’ 


TO A SKYLARK 


229 


To a skylark 

Hail to thee, blithe spirit! 

Bird thou never wert, 

Th at from heaven or near it, 
Pourest thy full heart 
In profuse strains of unpremeditated art. 

Higher still and higher 

From the earth thou springest 
Like a cloud of fire; 

The blue deep thou wingest, 

And singing still dost soar, and soaring 
ever singest. 

In the golden lightning 
Of the sunken sun, 

O r er which clouds are bright’ning, 
Thou dost float and run, 

Like an unbodied joy whose race is just 
begun. 

The pale purple even 
Melts around thy flight; 

Like a star of heaven, 

In the broad daylight 
Thou art unseen, but yet I hear thy shrill 
delight. 


230 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Keen as are the arrows 
Of that silver sphere, 

Whose intense lamp narrows 
In the white dawn clear, 

Until we hardly see, we feel that it is there. 

All the earth and air 
With thy voice is loud, 

As, when night is bare, 

From one lonely cloud 
The moon rains out her beams, and heaven 
is overflowed. 

What thou art we know not; 

What is most like thee? 

From rainbow clouds there flow not 
Drops so bright to see, 

As from thy presence showers a rain of 
melody. 

Like a poet hidden 

In the light of thought, 

Singing hymns unbidden, 

Till the world is wrought 
To sympathy with hopes and fears it heeded 
not: 



Like a highborn maiden 
In a palace tower, 

Soothing her love-laden 
Soul in secret hour 

With music sweet as love, which overflows 
her bower; 

Like a glowworm golden 
In a dell of dew, 

Scattering unbeholden 
Its aerial hue 

Among the flowers and grass, which screen 
it from the view; 

Like a rose embowered 
In its own green leaves, 

By warm winds deflowered, 

Till the scent it gives 

Makes faint with too much sweet these 
heavy-winged thieves ; 

Sound of vernal showers 
On the twinkling grass, 

Rain awakened flowers, 

All that ever was 

Joyous, and clear, and fresh, thy music 
doth surpass. 


% 


232 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Teach us, sprite or bird, 

What sweet thoughts are thine: 

I have never heard 
Praise of love or wine 
That panted forth a flood of rapture so 
divine. 

Chorus Hymeneal, 

Or triumphal chaunt, 

Matched with thine would be all 
But an empty vaunt, 

A thing wherein we feel there is some 
hidden want. 

What objects are the fountains 
Of thy happy strain? 

What fields, or waves, or mountains? 
What shapes of sky or plain? 
What love of thine own kind? What ig- 
norance of pain? 

With thy clear keen joyance 
Languor cannot be: 

Shadow of annoyance 
Never came near thee: 

Thou lovest; but ne’er knew love’s sad 
satiety. 


TO A SKYLARK 


233 


Waking or asleep, 

Thou of death must deem 

Things more true and deep 
Than we mortals dream, 

Or how could thy notes flow in such a 
crystal stream? 

We look before and after, 

And pine for what is not; 

Our sincerest laughter 

With some pain is fraught: 

Our sweetest songs are those that tell of 
saddest thought. 

Yet if we could scorn 

Hate, and pride, and fear; 

If we were things born 
Not to shed a tear, 

I know not how thy joy we ever should 
come near. 

Better than all measures 
Of delightful sound, 

Better than all treasures 
That in books are found, 

Thy skill to poet were, thou scorner of the 
ground! 


234 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Teach me half the gladness 
That thy brain must know, 
Such harmonious madness 
From my lips would flow, 
The world should listen then, as 
listening now. 


✓ 


am 


CHAPTER VIII 

Horatius 

Teacher's Preparation 

The central thought of this poem is that 
patriotism, intelligence and faith in right- 
eousness triumph over greed and tyranny 
and barbaric conquest; that courageous, 
stubborn, loyal defense of right will be 
victorious over gorgeous display in behalf 
of wrong. Here is an old but inspiring 
thought. It has been demonstrated many 
times that, no matter how great the mater- 
ial equipment or the prestige, individuals 
and armies and nations have been paralyz- 
ed and helpless when they realized that 
they were opposed by a superior moral 
force. It is an old, old principle, but it 
has been a tremendous factor in the rise 

and fall of individuals and empires. Noth- 

( 235 ) 


236 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


ing blights an army like the spread of the 
sickening conviction that the mysterious 
powers of righteousness are opposed to 
them. Few men are so depraved that in 
the last desperate extremity they do not 
believe in the invincible power of truth 
and justice. 

The poet has found a setting for this 
in the conditions of ancient Italy. Several 
centuries before the time of Christ the 
city of Rome had become the most civi- 
lized city of the peninsula. She had a 
system of government, a national spirit, a 
philosophy of public and private life and an 
organized social life far in advance of the 
cities about her. However, some of these 
cities rivaled her in military power and 
wealth. To the north was the powerful 
federation of Etruria. This confederacy 
consisted of twelve cities each having its 
chief and all under the leadership of Lars 
Porsena of Clusium. These Etruscans 



were barbarous plunderers who considered 
the more refined and less military Romans 
as degenerate weaklings. They were sim- 
ply waiting for a pretext to make war upon 
Rome and plunder it. This would mean 
robbing the Romans of their homes and 
making the people slaves. 

Rome had been under the rule of a royal 
family of the name of Tarquin. The last 
king, Sextus, was an intolerable tyrant 
and had given a final offense to the Romans 
by insulting a Roman matron. The proud, 

! 

liberty-loving people drove him out of the 
city and elected two consuls. The senate 
henceforth made the laws and the consuls 
executed them. Sextus went to Etruria 
and persuaded the Etruscans to gather 
their armies and try to restore him to the 
throne. At this point Macaulay begins 
his story. 

Macaulay was naturally interested in 
political matters. He was a historian and 


















238 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


was active in the politics of his time. Be- 
ing a lover of liberty and the self-govern- 
ment of the people he was especially in- 
terested in the history of the Roman re- 
public and the struggle of the Roman 
people for liberty. Most of the Lays of 
Ancient Rome deal with the heroic resis- 
tance of the Roman people against the 
tyranny of the kings. 

In the story of Horatius Macaulay has 
given a brilliant, vivid picture of the hosts 
of the barbarians assembling from country, 
village and city, hillside and plain; a pom- 
pous host in gorgeous array and animated 
by no higher motive than desire for plun- 
der; confident in the leadership of their 
braggart chiefs, in their well fed and well 
armored hosts and in the promises of their 
prophets. Macaulay has given a splendid 
picture of an army equipped with every- 
thing except the greatest of all essentials, 
an inspiring, patriotic motive. 


HORATIUS 


239 


On the other side of the picture we find 
the Romans equipped with very little but 
high moral purpose, intelligence and cour- 
age. 

Method 

Again we must find the child’s version of 
the theme of the poem. Perhaps we 
might get at it in some such way as follows. 

“Suppose you and several other boys are 
in swimming and one large boy begins to 
frighten and abuse some timid small boy. 
He does it so much that you feel pity for 
the little fellow and undertake to protect 
him. But in order to do that you are 
obliged to fight the bully. On another 
day you go into some back alley and find 
a small boy playing with a new ball glove. 
You take it away from him and start off. 
Just then a boy of your own size comes 
along and undertakes to make you give 
the glove back. You have another fight. 
On which of these occasions do you think 


240 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


you will make the better fight? Why? 
It was some such problem of the stimulat- 
ing, hero-making power of right that Mac- 
aulay put into the poem that we are going 
to study. 

“This poem deals with the old Romans 
and their barbarous neighbors, the Etrus- 
cans.” The teacher now presents a map 
of ancient Italy and with the help of this 
shows the whole legendary setting of the 
poem. 

This is followed by steps three and four 
of the method of preparation and then 
by the presentation and first two steps 
of association. In step three of the prepa- 
ration do not digress too far into irrelevant 
matter about the author. We should make 
sure that our pupils appreciate the author 
because he wrote literature that they like 
rather than that they infer that a certain 
selection must be good because some fa- 
mous man wrote it. Our aim should be 


HORATIUS 


241 


to make the pupils so independent that 
they will not need to accept any man’s 
0. K. for a piece of literature. In step 
four of the preparation see to it that the 
forecast is suggestive in the sense that it 
gives a hint of how the story works out the 
theme discussed under step one of prepara- 
tion, but at the same time stimulates the 
pupil to read the poem. The teacher 
should explain the author’s fancy that 
some old Roman veteran is telling this 
story to a later generation, probably with 
the purpose of arousing patriotism. 

Step three under association 
What bargain do you suppose Sextus 
made with Lars Parsena to persuade him 
to make war on Rome? 

What do you think was the feeling of 
the Etruscans when they heard the sum- 
mons of Lars Porsena? What were their 
motives for going to war? 

Describe in your own words the condi- 


242 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


tions in the Etruscan homes after the 
warriors left. 

What effect do you think the words of 
these prophets would have upon the Etrus- 
can warriors? What does line 81 show 
about the motives of these prophets? 

What was the total of Porsena’s army? 
Could there be any reason to doubt that 
this splendidly equipped army would be 
victorious over the unprepared Romans? 

Does the picture of the situation at 
Rome indicate military system and pre- 
paredness? The streets filled with sob- 
bing mothers, clinging babies, sick men, 
flocks of goats and sheep and cattle, wagons 
and corn, — would this be the condition in 
a city accustomed to military order? 

What hint is given that the Etruscans 
were famous fighters? 

What was it that stopped the panic of 
the Romans and aroused their fighting 
spirit ? 


HORATIUS 


243 


For what did Horatius say he was wil- 
ling to give his life? What effect did his 

speech have upon the other Romans?” 

Horatius at the bridge 

The Consul’s brow was sad, and the Con- 
sul’s speech was low, 

And darkly looked he at the walls, and 
darkly at the foe. 

“Their van will be upon us before the bridge 
goes down; 

And if they once may win the bridge, what 
hone to save the town?” 

Then out spake brave Horatius, the Cap- 
tain of the Gate: 

“To every man upon this earth death 
cometh soon or late. 

Hew down the bridge, Sir Consul, with all 
the speed ye may; 

I, with two more to help me, will hold the 
foe in play. 

• In yon straight path a thousand may well 
be stopped by three. 


244 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Now who will stand on either hand, and 
keep the bridge with me?” 

Then out spake Spurius Lartius — a Ram- 
nian proud was he — 

“Lo! I will stand at thy right hand, and 
keep the bridge with thee.” 

And out spake strong Herminius — of Ti- 
tian blood was he — 

“I will abide on thy left side, and keep the 
bridge with thee.” 

“Horatius,” quoth the Consul, “as thou 
sayest, so let it be.” 

And straight against that great array, forth 
went the dauntless three. 

Soon all Etruria’s noblest felt their hearts 
sink to see 

On the earth the bloody corpses, in the 
path the dauntless three. 

And from the ghastly entrance, where 
those bold Romans stood, 

The bravest shrank like boys who rouse 
an old bear in the wood. 


HORATIUS 


245 


But meanwhile ax and lever have manfully 
been plied, 

And now the bridge hangs tottering above 
the boiling tide. 

“Come back, come back, Horatius!” loud 
cried the fathers all: 

“Back, Lartius! back, Herminius! back, ere 
the ruin fall!” 

Back darted Spurius Lartius; Herminius 
darted back; 

And, as they passed, beneath their feet 
they felt the timbers crack ; 

But when they turned their faces, and on 
the farther shore 

Saw brave Horatius stand alone, they 
would have crossed once more. 

But, with a crash like thunder, fell every 
loosened beam, 

And, like a dam, the mighty wreck lay 
right across the stream. 

And a long shout of truimph rose from the 
walls of Rome, 


246 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


As on the highest turret-top was splashed 
the yellow foam. 

And, like a horse unbroken, when first he 
feels the rein, 

The furious river struggled hard, and 
tossed his tawny mane, 

And burst the curb, and bounded, rejoic- 
ing to be free, 

And battlement, and plank, and pier whirl- 
ed headlong to the sea. 

Alone stood brave Horatius, but constant 
still in mind; 

Thrice thirty thousand foes before, and 
the broad flood behind. 

“Down with him!” cried false Sextus, with 
a smile on his pale face. 

“Now yield thee!” cried Lars Porsena, “now 
yield thee to our grace!” 

Round turned he, as not deigning those 
craven ranks to see; 

Naught spake he to Lars Porsena, to 
Sextus naught spake he; 


HORATIUS 


247 


But he saw on Palatihus the white porch 
of his home. 

And he spoke to the noble river that rolls 
by the towers of Rome: 

“0 Tiber! Father Tiber! to whom the Ro- 
mans pray, 

A Roman’s life, a Roman’s arms, take thou 
in charge this day!” 

So he spake, and, speaking, sheathed the 
good sword by his side, 

And, with his harness on his back, plung- 
ed headlong in the tide. 

No sound of joy or sorrow was heard from 
either bank; 

But friends and foes, in dumb surprise, 
stood gazing as he sank, 

And when above the surges they saw his 
crest appear 

Rome shouted, and e’en Tuscany could 
scarce forbear to cheer. 

But fiercely ran the current, swollen high 
by months of rain; 


248 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


And fast his blood was flowing; and he was 
sore in pain, 

And heavy with his armor, and spent 
with changing blows, 

And oft they thought him sinking — but 
still again he rose. 

Never, I ween, did swimmer, in such an evil 
case, 

Struggle through such a raging flood safe 
to a landing place: 

But his limbs were borne up bravely by the 
brave heart within, 

And our good Father Tiber bare bravely 
up his chin. 

“Curse on him!” quoth false Sextus; “will 
not the villain drown? 

But for his stay, ere close of day we should 
have sacked the town!” 

“Heaven help him!” quoth Lars Porsena, 
“and bring him safe to shore; 

For such a gallant feat of arms was never 
seen before.” 


HORATIUS 


249 


And now he feels the bottom ; — now on dry 
earth he stands; 

Now round him throng the fathers to press 
his gory hands. 

And now, with shouts and clapping, and 
noise of weeping loud, 

He enters through the river gate, borne by 
the joyous crowd. 

— Thomas B. Macauley 


Note — The size of this book seemed to 
forbid including the full poem, but it is 
recommended that it be taught entire. 


CHAPTER IX 

The Apostrophe to the Ocean 

Note to the teacher. The work that has 
been done on the foregoing poems will 
make it easy for the teacher to discover 
our interpretation from the following 
suggestions for teaching this poem to 
children. 

* 

Method 

‘‘Lord Byron inherited from his father 
and mother a lawless disposition which 
neither his parents, nor his friends nor he 
himself could control. Because of this 
he suffered life-long disappointments, made 
many enemies and lost many friends. 

It seemed to him that when he really 

meant to be generous, people thought him 

selfish, when he really loved honorable and 

just dealing people thought him ungrateful 

and cruel. For some reason which he 

( 250 ) 


THE APOSTROPHE TO THE OCEAN 251 


could not understand people whom he 
wanted as companions did not like his 
ways and avoided him. He was severely 
criticised and this wounded his pride. 
The severe social restrictions of the better 
people were like chains and bondage to him. 
He did not believe that he was obliged to 
be temperate and agreeable and respec- 
table just because others were. He was a 
spoiled boy and a spoiled man and could 
not understand why he should not be per- 
mitted to do just as he pleased and allow 
others to do likewise. 

The result was that he came to think 
people too petty and narrow to under- 
stand him. He felt friendless and alone. 
Yet he thought that his ideas of indepen- 
dence were right. He truly believed in 
himself. He believed also that somewhere 
was a Being who had made him and must . 
therefore be able to understand him. This 
Being he sought for companionship when 


252 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


others refused to associate with him. The 
ocean he thought was more like the natural 
home of such a Spirit than any other place. 
Its bigness and its power suggested the 
great wisdom and love which could under- 
stand and sympathize with one whom men 
had failed to appreciate. 

He wrote a poem which told the story of 
his wandering from his native land, of 
his search for companionship among other 
peoples and among the great natural 
scenery of the world. But the ocean more 
than anything else suggested a Creator 
great enough to understand his hard strug- 
gle to live a life which seemed justifiable to 
him but to all others unworthy. His life 
and theories still seem wrong to us; but 
he was supremely wise in thinking that if 
anybody was great enough to understand 
and forgive him it must be the Spirit that 
created him. That Byron truly and ear- 
nestly sought companionship with this 


THE APOSTROPHE TO THE OCEAN 253 


great Spirit we cannot doubt. He suf- 
fered the great misfortune of possessing a 
warped disposition and a crooked vision; 
but he enjoyed the rarest and happiest 
wisdom known to man, the passionate 
belief that 

“There’s a wideness in God’s mercy 
Like the wideness of the sea.’’ 

In the wanderings of Childe Harold, the 
story of his life, he wrote those stanzas 
called The Apostrophe to the Ocean. In 
these stanzas he tells us of his great love 
for the ocean, how the Spirit that gave it 
power and greatness seemed to give him 
rest and happiness. 

As we read the poem notice the charac- 
teristics which he mentions as showing 
that The Great Spirit truly moves upon 
the waters and notice how he finds here the 
satisfying companionship which he cannot 
enjoy elsewhere. 


254 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Apostrophe to the Ocean 

I 

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, 
There is a rapture on the lonely shore, 
There is society, where none intrudes, 

By the deep Sea, and music in its roar. 

I love not Man the less, but Nature more, 
From these our interviews, in which I steal 
From all I may be or have been before, 

To mingle with the universe, and feel 
What I can ne’er express, yet cannot all 
conceal. 

II 

Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean, 
roll. 

Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain; 
Man marks the earth with ruin, his control 
Stops with the shore; upon the watery plain 
The wrecks are all thy deed, nor doth remain 
A shadow of maffis ravage, save his own, 
When, for a moment, like a drop of rain, 

He sinks into thy depths with bubbling 
groan, 

Without a grave, unknell’d, uncoffin’d, and 
unknown. 


THE APOSTROPHE TO THE OCEAN 255 


III 

* 

His steps are not upon thy paths, thy fields 
Are not a spoil for him, — thou dost arise 
And shake him from thee; the vile strength 
he wields 

For earth’s destruction thou dost all despise, 
vSpurning him from thy bosom to the skies, 
And send’st him, shivering in thy playful 
spray 

And howling, to his gods, where haply lies 
His petty hope in some near port or bay, 
And dashest him again to earth : — there let 
him lay. 

IV 

The armaments which thunderstrike the 
walls 

Of rock-built cities, bidding nations quake 
And monarchs tremble in their capitals. 
The oak leviathans, whose huge ribs make 
Their clay creator the vain title take 
Of lord of thee and arbiter of war, — 
These are thy toys, and, as the snowy flake, 
They melt into thy yeast of waves, which 
mar 

Alike the Armada’s pride, or the spoils of 
Trafalgar. 


256 EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 

V 

Thy shores are empires, changed in all save 
thee — 

Assyria, Greece, Rome, Carthage, what are 
they? 

Thy waters washed them power while they 
were free, 

And many a tyrant since ; their shores obey 

The stranger, slave, or savage; their decay 

Has dried up realms to deserts: — not so 
thou, 

Unchangeable save to thy wild waves’ play; 

Time writes no wrinkles on thine azure 
brow; 

Such as creation’s dawn beheld, thou rollest 
now. 

VI 

Thou glorious mirror, where the Almighty’s 
form 

• Glasses itself in tempest; in all time, 

Calm or convulsed — in breeze, or gale, or 
storm, 

Icing the pole, or in the torrid clime 

Dark-heaving; — boundless, endless, and 
sublime — 


The image of Eternity — the throne 


THE APOSTROPHE TO THE OCEAN 257 


Of the Invisible; even from out thy slime 
The monsters of the deep are made; each 
zone 

Obeys thee; thou goest forth, dread, fathom- 
less, alone. 

VII 

And I have loved thee, Ocean ! and my joy 
Of youthful sports was on thy breast to be 
Borne, like thy bubbles, onward. From a 
boy 

I wantoned with thy breakers — they to me 
Were a delight; and if the freshening sea 
Made them a terror — Twas a pleasing fear, 
For I was as it were a child of thee, 

And trusted to thy billows far and near, 
And laid my hand upon thy mane — as I do 
here. 

VIII 

My task is done — my song hath ceased — 
my theme 

Has died into an echo; it is fit 
The spell should break of this protracted 
dream . 

The torch shall be extinguished which hath 
lit 


258 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


My midnight lamp — and what is writ is 
writ, — 

Would it were worthier! but I am not now 
That which I have been — and my visions 
flit 

Less palpably before me — and the glow 
Which in my spirit dwells, is fluttering, 
faint and low. 


CHAPTER X 

Lines from Under The Willows 

Method 

How often when the weather is weari- 
some and the labor is hard do we long for 
a few hours of our favorite season and 
our most refreshing pastime! How pleas- 
antly at such a time a taste of strawberry 
or the fragrance of a rose recalls all the 
beauties and delights of summer fields 
and skies! How it lightens our labor and 
revives our spirits! For just this purpose 
Lowell wrote his poem on June. It is 
entitled, “Lines From Under The Willows”. 
With such a poem in our library we always 
have the flowers and birds and streams 
and warm sunshine. While we read, close 
your eyes, forget everything about you and 
just watch the spring come back. 

( 259 ) 


260 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Lines from Under the Willows 

Frank-hearted hostess of the field and wood, 
Gypsy, whose roof is every spreading tree, 
June is the pearl of our New England year. 
Still a surprisal, though expected long, 

Her coming startles. Long she lies in wait, 
Makes many a feint, peeps forth, draws 
coyly back, 

Then, from some southern ambush in the 
sky 

With one great gush of blossom storms the 
world. 

A week ago the sparrow w T as divine; 

The bluebird, shifting his light load of song 
From post to post along the cheerless fence, 
Was as a rhymer ere the poet come; 

But now, oh rapture! sunshine winged and 
voiced, 

Pipe blown through by the warm, wild 
breath of the West 

Shepherding his soft droves of fleecy cloud, 
Gladness of woods, skies, waters, all in one, 
The bobolink has come, and, like the soul 
Of the sweet season vocal in a bird, 


LINES FROM UNDER THE WILLOWS 261 


Gurgles in ecstasy we know not what 
Save June ! Dear June ! Now God be 
praised for June. 

May is a pious fraud of the almanac, 

A ghastly parody of real Spring 
Shaped out of snow and breathed with 
eastern wind; 

Or, if o’er-confident, she trust the date, 
And with her handful of anemones, 

Herself as shivery, steal into the sun, 

The season need but turn his hour glass 
round, 

And Winter, suddenly, like crazy Lear, 
Reels back, and brings the dead May in his 
arms, 

Her budding breasts and wan dislustered 
front 

With frosty streaks and drifts of his white 
beard 

All overblown. Then, warmly walled with 
books, 

While my wood fire supplies the sun’s de- 
fect, 

Whispering old forest-sagas in its dreams, 

I take my May down from the happy shelf 


262 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Where perch the world’s rare song birds in 
a row, 

Waiting my choice to open with full breast, 
And beg an alms of springtime, ne’er denied 
Indoors by vernal Chaucer, whose fresh 
woods 

Throb thick with merle and mavis all the 
year. 

July breathes hot, sallows the crispy fields, 
Curls up the wan leaves of the lilac hedge, 
And everv eve cheats us with show of clouds 

m/ 

That braze the horizon’s western rim, or 
hang 

Motionless, with heaped canvas drooping 
idly, 

Like a dim fleet by starving men besieged, 
Conjectured half, and half descried afar, 
Helpless of wind, and seeming to slip back 
Adown the smooth curve of the oily sea. 

But June is full of invitations sweet, 

Forth from the chimney’s yawn and thrice- 
read tomes 

To leisurely delights and sauntering 
thoughts 


LINES FROM UNDER THE WILLOWS 263 


That brook no ceiling narrower than the 
blue. 

The cherry, drest for bridal, at my pane 
Brushes, then listens, Will he come ? The 
bee 

All dusty as a miller, takes his toll 
Of powdery gold, and grumbles. What a 
day 

To sun me and do nothing! Nay, I think 
Merely to bask and ripen is sometimes 
The student’s wiser business; the brain 
That forages all climes to line its cells, 
Ranging both worlds on lightest wings of 
wish, 

Will not distil the juices it has sucked 
To the sweet substance of pellucid thought 
Except for him who hath the secret learned 
To mix his blood with sunshine, and to take 
The winds into his pulses. Hush! ’tis he! 
My oriole, my glance of summer fire, 

Is come at last, and, ever on the watch, 
Twitches the pack thread I had lightly 
wound 

About the bough to help his housekeeping, 
Twitches and scouts by turns, blessing his 
luck, 


264 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Yet fearing me who laid it in his way, 

Nor, more than wiser we in our affairs, 
Divines the providence that hides and helps. 
Heave , ho! Heave , ho! he whistles as the 

twine 

Slackens its hold; once more , now! and a 
flash 

Lightens across the sunlight to the elm 
Where his mate dangles at her cup of felt. 
Nor all his booty is the thread; he trails 
My loosened thought with it along the air, 
And I must follow, would I ever find 
The inward rhyme to all this wealth of life. 


CHAPTER XI 

Lines on Washington 

Method 

The American patriots of 1775, indig- 
nant that the tyranny from which they and 
their ancestors had fled when leaving 
Europe should follow them to the New 
World, were determined to resist to the 
bitterest possible end of the struggle. 
With what anxious curiosity, therefore, 
must they have observed Washington on 
the day on which he took command of the 
army by the Old Elm in Cambridge. 

In the French and Indian War he had 
shown himself an able general, abler than 
the English commanders under whom he 
fought. But these level-headed colonists 
knew full well that now they faced a strug- 
gle more desperate than had ever occurred 

on this continent. For such a contest 

( 265 ) 


266 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


their leaders and their own courage, loyalty 
and endurance were all untried. The 
abilities of their great men and all the 
glorious achievements of the armies, the 
people and the leaders were not yet written 
in history. We can easily understand how 
they calculated the probabilities of suc- 
cess and failure and of the consequences 
of each. It was a time when they must 
pick their men with great wisdom. What 
a relief it would have been if they could 
have known the greatness of some of their 
leaders and could have foreseen the pecu- 
liar wisdom and efficiency with which these 
men were to lead them through the terrible 
struggle of the founding of the Republic! 
Little did the men who stood before Wash- 
ington on that day realize the grandeur 
of their new general and the high place 
that he was to take among the famous men 
* of the world. 

One hundred years after this event the 


LINES ON WASHINGTON 


267 


people celebrated its centennial anniversa- 
ry. For this occasion James Russell Lowell 
wrote a poem in which he has told us what 
was great in the man who became com- 
mander of the Continental Army in July 
1775. 


Lines on Washington 

Soldier and statesman, rarest unison; 
High-poised example of great duties done 
Simply as breathing, a world’s honors worn 
As life’s indifferent gifts to all men born; 
Dumb for himself, unless it were to God, 
But for his barefoot soldiers eloquent, 
Tramping the snow to coral where they trod 
Held by his awe in hollow-eyed content ; 
Modest, yet firm as Nature’s self ; unblamed 
Save by men his nobler temper shamed; 
Never seduced through show of present 
good 

By other than unsetting lights to steer 
New-trimmed in Heaven, nor than his 
steadfast mood 

More steadfast, far from rashness as from 
fear; 


268 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Rigid, but with himself first, grasping still 

In swerveless poise the wave-beat helm of 
will; 

Not honored then or now because he wooed 

The popular voice but that he still with- 
stood; 

Broad-minded, higher-souled, there is but 
one 

Who was all this and ours, and all men’s — 
Washington. 


CHAPTER XII 

A Concluding Consideration of Penetra- 
tive Insight 

The term “penetrative insight” seems 
to be difficult to understand. Students 
find it difficult to tell just what it is when 
analyzing a poem. Perhaps the following 
illustrations and discussion may help. 

If you are acquainted with many large 
families you have noticed that there is 
frequently one member, more often the 
mother, who is quick to interpret and 
understand the words, actions and facial 
expressions of the others. The s other 
members feel that she has their - secret. 

You have noticed some storekeepers 
who are keen to interpret the tastes and 
needs of the public and their show windows 
and display of goods always appeal. 

( 269 ) 


270 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


A man building houses to rent must 
surpass his competitors by choosing sites 
and putting into his houses conveniences 
and decorations that will make a special 
appeal. In business and in social life this 
faculty counts tremendously. 


ABOU BEN AD HEM 


271 


Abou Ben Adhem 

By Leigh Hunt 

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!) 

Awoke one night from a deep dream of 
peace, 

And saw, within the moonlight of his room, 

Making it rich and lily-like in bloom, 

An angel, writing in a book of gold. 

Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem 
bold, 

And to the presence in the room he said, 

“What writest thou?” The vision raised 
its head, 

And with a look made of all sweet accord, 

Answered: “The names of those who love 
the Lord.” 

“And is mine one?” said Abou. “Nay, 
not so,” 

Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low, 

But cheerily still; and said: “I pray thee, 
then, 

Write me as one who loves his fellow-men.” 

The angel wrote and vanished. The next 
night 


272 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


It came again, with a great awakening 
light, 

And showed the names whom love of God 
had blessed, 

And, lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest. 

Yussouf 

By James Russell Lowell 

I 

A stranger came one night to Yussouf ’s 
tent, 

Saying, “Behold one outcast and in dread, 
Against whose life the bow of power is bent, 
Who flies, and hath not where to lay his 
head ; 

I come to thee for shelter and for food, 
To Yussouf, called through all our tribes 
‘The Good.’ ” 


II 

“This tent is mine,” said Yussouf, “but 
no more 

Than it is God’s; come in, and be at peace; 
Freely shalt thou partake of all my store 
As I of His who buildeth over these 


YUSSOUF 


273 


Our tents his glorious roof of night and 
day, 

And at whose door none ever yet heard 
‘Nay/ ” 

III 

So Yussouf entertained his guest that 
night, 

And, waking him ere day, said: “Here 
is gold; 

My swiftest horse is saddled for thy flight; 

Depart before the prying day grow bold.” 

As one lamp lights another, nor grows less, 

So nobleness enkindleth nobleness. 

IV 

That inward light the stranger’s face made 
grand, 

Which shines from all self-conquest; kneel- 
ing low, 

He bowed his forehead upon Yussouf ’s 
hand, 

Sobbing: “O Sheik, I cannot leave thee 

so; 

I will repay thee; all this thou hast done 

Unto that Ibrahim who slew thy son!” 


274 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


V 

“Take thrice the gold,” said Yussouf, 
“for with thee 

Into the desert, never to return, 

My one black thought shall ride away 
from me ; 

First born, for whom by day and night 
I yearn, 

Balanced and just are all of God’s decrees; 

Thou art avenged, my first born, sleep in 
peace!” 


Opportunity 

By Edward Rowland Sill 

This I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream: — - 

There spread a cloud of dust along a plain ; 

And underneath the cloud, or in it, raged 

A furious battle, and men yelled, and 
swords 

Shocked upon swords and shields. A 
prince’s banner 

Wavered, then staggered backward, hem- 
med by foes. 

A craven hung along the battle’s edge, 


DESTRUCTION OF SENNACHERIB 27vS 


And thought, “Had I a sword of keener 
steel — 

That blue blade that the king’s son bears, — 
but this 

Blunt thing” — ! he snapt and flung it from 
his hand, 

And lowering crept away and left the field. 

Then came the king’s son, wounded, sore 
bestead, 

And weaponless, and saw the broken 
sword , 

Hilt-buried in the dry and trodden sand. 

And ran and snatched it, and with battle- 
shout 

Lifted afresh he hewed his enemy down, 

And saved a great cause that heroic day. 



The Destruction of Sennacherib 

By Lord Byron 

I 

The Assyrian came down like the wolf 
on the fold; 

And his cohorts were gleaming in purple 
and gold; 




276 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


And the sheen of their spears was like 
stars on the sea, 

Wt[en the blue wave rolls nightly on deep 
Galilee. 

II 

Like the leaves of the forest when Summer 
is green, 

That host with their banners at sunset 
were seen; 

Like the leaves of the forest when Autumn 
hath blown, 

< 

That host on the morrow lay withered and 
strown. 


Ill 

For the Angel of Death spread his wings 
on the blast, 

And breathed in the face of the foe as he 
passed ; 

And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly 
and chill, 

And their hearts but once heaved and 
forever grew still! 


DESTRUCTION OF SENNACHERIB 277 


IV 

And there lay the steed with his nostrils 
all wide, 

But through it there rolled not the breath 
of his pride; 

And the foam of his gasping lay white 
on the turf, 

And cold as the spray of the rock-beating 
surf. 

V 

And there lay the rider distorted and pale, 

With the dew on his brow, and the rust on 
his mail, 

And the tents were all silent, the banners 
alone, 

The lances un lifted, the trumpet unblown. 

VI 

And the widows of Ashur are loud in their 
wail, 

And the idols are broke in the temple of 
Baal; 

And the might of the Gentile, unsmote 
by the sword, 

Hath melted like snow in the glance of 
the Lord! 


278 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


Columbus 

By Joaquin (Hoakin) Miller 

I 

Behind him lay the gray Azores, 
Behind, the Gates of Hercules; 

Before him not the ghost of shores, 

Before him only shoreless seas. 

The good mate said: “Now must we pray, 
For lo! the very stars are gone. 

Brave Admiral speak, what shall I say?” 
“Why, say, ‘Sail on! sail on! and on!’ ” 

II 

“My men grow mutinous day by day; 
My men grow ghastly wan and weak.” 

The stout mate thought of home; a spray 
Of salt wave washed his swarthy 
cheek. 

“What shall I say, brave Admiral, say, 

If we sight naught but seas at dawn?” 

“Why, you shall say at break of day, 
‘Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!’ ” 


COLUMBUS 


279 


III 

They sailed and sailed, as winds might 
blow, 

Until at last the blanched mate said: 
“Why, now not even God would know 
Should I and all my men fall dead. 
These very winds forget their way, 

For God from these dread seas is gone, 
Now speak, brave Admiral, speak and 
say — ’ ’ 

He said, “Sail on! sail on! and on!” 

IV 

They sailed. They sailed. Then spake 
the mate: 

“This mad sea shows his teeth to- 
night. 

He curls his lip, he lies in wait, 

With lifted teeth, as if to bite! 

Brave Admiral, say but one good word; 

What shall we do when hope is gone?” 
The words leapt as a leaping sword: 

“Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!” 


280 


EIGHTH GRADE POEMS 


V 

Then, pale and worn, he kept his deck, 
And peered through darkness. Ah, 
that night 

Of all dark nights! And then a speck — 
A light! A light! A light! A light! 

It grew, a starlit flag unfurled! 

It grew to be Time’s burst of dawn. 
He gained a world; he gave that world 
Its grandest lesson: “On! Sail on!” 


Old Ironsides 

By Oliver Wendell Holmes 

I 

Ay, tear her tattered ensign down! 

Long has it waved on high, 

And many an eye has danced to see 
That banner in the sky; 
Beneath it rung the battle shout, 
And burst the cannon’s roar; — 
The meteor of the ocean air 

Shall sweep the clouds no more. 


OLD IRONSIDES 


281 


II 

Her deck, once red with heroes’ blood, 
Where knelt the vanquished foe, 
When winds were hurrying o’er the flood, 
And waves were white below, 

No more shall feel the victor’s tread, 

Or know the conquered knee; — 

The harpies of the shore shall pluck 
The eagle of the sea! 

III 

O better that her shattered hulk 

Should sink beneath the wave; 

Her thunders shook the mighty deep, 
And there should be her grave; 

Nail to the mast her holy flag, • 

Set every threadbare sail, 

And give her to the god of storms, 

The lightning and the gale! 


nnmilMH 


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